A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, was forced to make an emergency landing after a cabin window was dislodged shortly after take-off, leaving a 61-year-old passenger partially pulled out of the aircraft during a sudden loss of cabin pressure.
According to eyewitnesses and aviation officials, the incident occurred when a loud bang was heard and the aircraft rapidly depressurized. Preliminary reports suggest debris from an apparent engine failure may have struck and shattered the passenger window, though investigators have not yet confirmed the exact cause. Oxygen masks deployed as the Boeing 737-800 immediately turned back to Thessaloniki.
The passenger, identified as a 61-year-old Serbian man, was seated beside the damaged window. Witnesses said his upper body was pulled outside the aircraft before fellow passengers rushed to help. His wife reportedly held onto his legs while others assisted in pulling him back into the cabin, preventing what could have been a fatal accident. The man suffered neck and shoulder injuries as well as severe friction burns but survived and was taken to hospital after the aircraft landed safely.
Ryanair confirmed the aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki and said passengers later continued their journey on a replacement aircraft. Boeing, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and European aviation authorities are assisting with the investigation into the incident. The aircraft remains grounded while investigators determine whether the window failure was linked to engine damage or another mechanical fault.
