A Ryanair flight experienced a terrifying incident on July 10, 2026, when a passenger was nearly sucked out of a dislodged window shortly after take-off from Thessaloniki, Greece, bound for Memmingen, Germany. The plane abruptly descended 9,000 feet, with witnesses reporting a loud explosion prior to the incident.
Details of the Ryanair Flight Incident
According to local media, the flight was airborne for approximately 10 minutes when the window malfunction occurred. Passengers described the harrowing scene where a 61-year-old Serbian man was left hanging head-first outside the aircraft. His wife reportedly held onto his legs for five minutes to prevent him from being completely ejected.
“We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams... for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door,” said Christina, a fellow passenger. The situation escalated as oxygen masks deployed, and panic spread throughout the cabin.
Medical Response and Passenger Accounts
The injured passenger was treated for friction burns at a local hospital. Michalis Giannakos, a Greek hospital official, confirmed that the man was in shock but remained conscious. “He is in shock, remains conscious,” Giannakos stated.
Another passenger, Sofia, recounted the fear and uncertainty in the cabin: “When the oxygen masks dropped, we had no idea what was going to happen. We thought the plane was going down. The decompression was extreme. It felt like we couldn’t breathe.”
Investigation and Safety Measures
The aircraft, operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air, is currently under investigation by the Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority. Fraport Greece, the operator of Thessaloniki airport, confirmed that they are cooperating fully with the investigation.
Chris Brady, a retired airline pilot, commented on the incident, emphasizing the importance of wearing seat belts during flight, stating, “We do, as captains always say to the passengers, please keep your seat belts fastened as a precaution in flight, even when we switch the belt signs off.”
- Date of incident: July 10, 2026
- Flight route: Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany
- Injured passenger: 61-year-old Serbian man
- Key responses: Emergency medical assistance provided
- Aircraft age: 18 years
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by BBC Business. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
