A passenger narrowly escaped serious injury after a window reportedly detached during a Ryanair flight, causing a frightening mid-air emergency that forced the aircraft to return shortly after takeoff.
The incident occurred on a flight traveling from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany. According to authorities, the passenger, a tourist from Serbia, suffered friction burns but remained in stable condition after the aircraft landed safely.
Mid-Air Emergency Triggers Panic
According to eyewitnesses, many passengers were asleep when the incident occurred.
One passenger described the frightening moment, saying:
“Most of us had fallen asleep, we had closed our eyes. There was a noise, like a tyre bursting.”
She said passengers quickly realized the aircraft had experienced decompression.
“We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams … for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door.”
She added that oxygen masks deployed immediately after the incident.
“The masks dropped and there was a strong smell. The head and shoulders of one passenger were outside the window. Fortunately, he hadn’t taken off his seat belt.”
According to the witness, nearby passengers quickly pulled the man back inside the aircraft before the situation became even more dangerous.
Reports Suggest Engine Debris May Have Caused Damage
According to Greek media reports, the incident occurred while the aircraft was flying over North Macedonia.
The reports stated that a piece of debris from one of the aircraft’s engines may have struck and damaged the window.
However, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the incident.
Ryanair Confirms Flight Returned Safely
In a statement, Ryanair confirmed that the aircraft returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff.
The airline said, “returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window detached during the flight. The aircraft landed normally and the passengers returned to the terminal.”
Following the emergency landing, the airline arranged another aircraft to transport the remaining passengers to Memmingen.
The incident remains under review as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the reported window detachment.
