A man on a budget airline flight was reportedly left “partially sucked out” of a cabin window after a mid-air emergency, with fellow passengers saying his wife helped keep him from being pulled further outside.
The Ryanair service had departed from Thessaloniki, Greece, on the morning of Friday, July 10, and was heading to Memmingen in Germany when the incident unfolded shortly after take-off.
According to ABC, Greek aviation officials suspect there was a “massive rupture in the engine”. Early reports indicate debris from the right-side engine may have struck the fuselage and damaged a window. Investigators are expected to examine exactly what happened.
The injured passenger, reported to be a 61-year-old Serbian man, is believed to have been “partially sucked out of a dislodged window” during the ordeal.
In a statement, Ryanair said:
“A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning (10 July) returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight. The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal.”
The airline also said one passenger “requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki.” A replacement aircraft was later arranged to continue the journey to Memmingen for the remaining travelers.
Reports say the injured man is being treated for friction burns.
Witnesses later described the frightening moments to local media, with one account claiming the man’s wife “held him by the legs,” for around five minutes, preventing him from being “sucked out” of the Boeing 737.
One passenger, speaking to Radio Thessaloniki, said she initially believed someone had opened an emergency exit because of the panic onboard. She said:
“The head and shoulders of one passenger were outside the window. Fortunately, he hadn’t taken off his seat belt.”
Other travelers told the same outlet that oxygen masks dropped from above during the flight and that many feared they would not make it back, believing there had been an explosion on the aircraft.
Videos said to be from the flight have also been shared on social media, apparently showing passengers wearing oxygen masks while a damaged window is visible in the background.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) told CBS News:
“We are in contact with the FAA as state of design of the aircraft as well as the engine manufacturer.
“We will follow the situation closely as more information emerges and take any continued airworthiness action needed to ensure safety.”
Ryanair said in May 2025 that it had carried 200 million passengers in the 2024/25 year, becoming the first European airline to do so in a 12-month period. The company remains Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers.