Ryanair Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Broken Window During Flight from Greece to Germany

A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, experienced a terrifying incident on Friday when a passenger was partially sucked out of a broken window shortly after takeoff. The Boeing 737-800 had just reached about 20,000 feet when a loud explosion was heard, and one of the cabin windows shattered. The passenger, reportedly a 61-year-old Serbian man, had his head and shoulders outside the aircraft. Passengers nearby, including his wife, held onto him to prevent further ejection while oxygen masks deployed.

The wife gripped his legs for about five minutes until other passengers managed to pull him back inside. The man sustained neck injuries, abrasions, and burns but remained conscious, though in shock. A pregnant woman on board was also hospitalized but later discharged in good condition. The plane returned to Thessaloniki airport about 74 minutes after departure, where the injured passenger received medical assistance. Ryanair arranged a replacement aircraft that departed later that morning to complete the journey.

Greek media speculated the window damage might have been caused by debris from a detached engine part, possibly over northern Macedonia, but this has not been confirmed. Witnesses described panic and screaming among passengers and crew during the rapid decompression. One passenger emphasized that the man was wearing his seatbelt, countering social media claims that lack of seatbelt use caused the incident. Flight data shows the plane landed safely back at its origin airport. Ryanair issued a brief statement confirming the window came loose and the flight returned safely, without elaborating on the cause.

The incident highlights the critical importance of seatbelt use during flight and the quick response of fellow passengers and crew in a life-threatening emergency.