Ljubisa Karovic was asleep in seat 11F on Ryanair flight FR1879 from Thessaloniki to Memmingen when an explosion shattered the window beside him, pulling him partially out of the aircraft at 15,000 feet. The incident, which occurred on July 10, saw Karovic dangling outside the Boeing 737 at nearly 500 miles per hour before he lost consciousness.
His wife, Svetlana Grkovic Maksimovic, who was seated three rows behind him, immediately grabbed his legs and, with the help of other passengers, pulled him back into the cabin. Karovic described the experience as feeling like being "repeatedly punched by a heavyweight boxer" due to the intense change in air pressure.
He recounted hearing a "deafening explosion" and then chaos, but has no memory of being outside the plane. After being pulled back in, he fainted multiple times. He suffered burns to his face and right arm and is now wearing a neck brace for six weeks due to acute neck and shoulder pain.
Karovic, a Serbian businessman, is recovering in Greece and expressed gratitude for his survival, attributing it to his wife, other passengers, and fate. "I am lucky because my injuries could have been a lot worse," he stated. His wife described the ordeal as a "tug of war" and detailed her prayers for his survival.
Passengers used bags and a suitcase to block the hole where the window had been. The flight was diverted back to Thessaloniki, where Karovic received medical attention. He and his wife have criticized Ryanair's crew response during the incident, claiming they appeared more frightened than helpful and did not intervene. They also expressed disappointment with the airline's post-incident communication, stating they primarily received automated emails.
Ryanair has stated that its customer care team has been in contact with the family and that the crew performed a "phenomenal job" in safely landing the aircraft. The airline welcomed an independent investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
A technical advisor for Karovic believes the incident began with a failure in the aircraft's right engine, causing debris to strike and shatter the window, though this has not been confirmed by investigators. Ryanair has noted that the 18-year-old Boeing 737's engine had been serviced within the past two years.
Karovic said the incident has drastically altered his life, leaving him with a fear of flying and difficulty with daily activities. His wife plans to travel to Serbia by car to avoid flying in the near future.