A Ryanair passenger was partially sucked from a cabin window mid-flight on Friday after a piece of engine debris shattered the pane, forcing an emergency return to Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Boeing 737, operated by subsidiary Malta Air, had departed for Memmingen, Germany, when tracking data shows it descended 9,000 feet about 10 minutes into the flight. A loud bang was heard before a passenger window dislodged. A 61-year-old Serbian man seated beside the breach was thrust head and shoulders outside the aircraft; his wife held onto his legs for roughly five minutes while fellow passengers pulled him back inside. He was hospitalised at AHEPA University Hospital with friction burns and neck pain but is not in life-threatening condition.
Greek media reported that an engine part broke off and struck the window, causing cabin decompression. Ryanair dispatched a replacement aircraft to carry remaining passengers to Germany. The Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority is investigating the incident.