A passenger was partially sucked out of a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday after a window dislodged following an apparent engine failure shortly after takeoff. The aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki.
The incident occurred on a Ryanair flight bound for Memmingen, Germany. According to a Greek doctor who treated the passenger, a 61-year-old man seated in a window seat was partially pulled out of the aircraft. The passenger's wife reportedly held onto his feet to prevent him from being completely ejected.
Oxygen masks deployed in the cabin as the flight crew declared an emergency. A senior Greek aviation official stated that the Boeing 737 experienced an uncontained engine failure, with parts of the engine impacting the plane, causing damage to the fuselage and breaking the passenger window.
Ryanair confirmed the aircraft returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff due to a dislodged window. "The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal," a Ryanair statement said. The airline arranged a replacement aircraft for the passengers to continue to Memmingen.
The passenger who was partially sucked out received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki and is currently hospitalized. No other injuries were reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was notified of the incident, referring to it as an "air turnback to LGTS due to a right engine issue and cabin decompression." Under International Civil Aviation Organization guidelines, the Republic of North Macedonia, as the country where the occurrence took place, will lead the investigation.
The aircraft involved, a 737 Next Generation, was delivered by Boeing in 2008. Boeing and the engine manufacturer have been contacted for comment.