Dislodged window sucks out passenger on Ryanair flight

Dhaka: A Ryanair flight suffered an uncontained engine failure shortly after takeoff from Thessaloniki in Greece on July 10, dislodging a passenger window and partially sucking a man out of the aircraft.

The 61-year-old male passenger, seated by the window, was held back by his wife, who gripped his feet to stop him from being pulled entirely out of the plane, according to a Greek doctor who treated him on the tarmac.

The Boeing 737 declared an emergency as oxygen masks deployed inside the cabin. The aircraft, bound for Memmingen in Germany, returned safely to Thessaloniki, a senior Greek aviation official said.

Debris from the failed engine struck the fuselage, damaging it and breaking the window, the official said. The injured passenger was hospitalized following the incident.

Ryanair confirmed the flight "returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window dislodged inflight," adding that the aircraft landed normally and passengers disembarked at the terminal.

The airline said one passenger received medical assistance on the ground, and a replacement aircraft was arranged to carry passengers onward to Memmingen, departing Thessaloniki at 9:53 am local time.

Greek authorities said they remained in contact with Ryanair's chief pilot in Malta and the airline's safety department for further details.

Boeing said it was aware of the incident and was in contact with the airline regarding the matter.

The US National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it was notified of the aircraft's "air turnback" due to a right engine issue and cabin decompression.

Under International Civil Aviation Organization rules, the Republic of North Macedonia, as the country where the aircraft was operating, will lead the investigation and determine the composition of the international investigative team.

The Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft involved in the incident was originally delivered in 2008, making it 18 years old at the time of the midair failure.

The exact cause of the uncontained engine failure has not yet been determined, and further updates are expected once investigators complete their initial assessment of the damaged aircraft.