A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff on Friday when a passenger window dislodged, according to the airline. The Boeing 737-800 experienced a loud bang shortly after departing, with passengers reporting that a window shattered.
Reports from passengers and media suggest that a portion of the aircraft's engine may have broken away, causing damage to the fuselage and the window. A 61-year-old Serbian national, seated next to the damaged window, was reportedly pulled partially out of the aircraft. Witnesses described his head and shoulders protruding from the broken window. His wife managed to hold onto his feet for approximately five minutes until other passengers and crew were able to pull him back into the cabin. Oxygen masks deployed during the incident.
The flight, which took off at 5:55 a.m. local time, returned to Thessaloniki airport about an hour after departure. Flight data indicates the plane was in the air for one hour and 14 minutes. Passengers reported hearing a bang and experiencing rapid decompression, with some fearing for their lives as the aircraft flew for about 30 minutes with the damaged window. One witness described the injured passenger as having blood on his head and fainting multiple times.
The injured passenger sustained wounds to his neck, as well as abrasions and burns. He remained conscious but was in a state of shock. A pregnant woman on board was also taken to the hospital as a precaution and has since been released. A Ryanair spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft landed normally and passengers were provided with a replacement aircraft to continue their journey to Memmingen. The airline stated that one passenger received medical assistance upon landing.