Ryanair plane returns to Greece after window shatters mid-flight
A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen was forced to make an emergency landing in Greece on Friday after a passenger was partially sucked out of a shattered window at 20,000 feet, in an incident investigators believe was caused by engine debris striking the fuselage. Flight FR1879, operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air using a Boeing 737-8AS, returned to Thessaloniki’s Makedonia Airport shortly after takeoff when a window failed mid-flight, triggering rapid cabin depressurization. The 61-year-old Serbian tourist, who had been seated next to the damaged window, was pulled back inside by fellow passengers after his head and shoulders were exposed to the slipstream for several minutes. He was hospitalized in Thessaloniki with friction burns but was otherwise in stable condition, authorities confirmed.
Witnesses described a sudden loud bang—“like a tyre bursting”—followed by the sound of rushing air as oxygen masks deployed. “Most of us had fallen asleep when there was a noise,” one passenger told Radio Thessaloniki. “We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams… for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door.” Another passenger recounted seeing the man’s head and shoulders outside the aircraft, noting he had remained belted in. His wife, seated beside him, grabbed his legs and held on for five minutes until others could assist. Video footage circulating on social media showed oxygen masks dangling from the ceiling and a shattered window in the cabin.
Ryanair confirmed the incident in a statement issued from its headquarters in Dublin, stating the aircraft had returned to Thessaloniki “when a passenger window detached during the flight.” The airline said the passenger received medical assistance on the ground and that a replacement aircraft had departed for Memmingen at 09:53 local time, carrying the remaining passengers. “The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal,” the statement read. Greek aviation authorities and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have launched an investigation, with early indications suggesting a piece of engine cowling or fan blade may have struck the window during climb-out.
This is the second consecutive day the same aircraft—registration EI-DLV—has experienced a technical issue. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed the same Boeing 737-800 diverted back to Thessaloniki on Thursday evening shortly after departure to Sarajevo, though the cause of that earlier disruption has not been disclosed. The twin incidents have raised fresh questions about maintenance oversight on Ryanair’s fleet, particularly as the carrier operates one of Europe’s busiest low-cost networks with tight turnaround schedules.
Safety experts cautioned that window failures on commercial jets are extremely rare, typically involving manufacturing defects or foreign object impact. “This is an extremely unusual event,” said Niclas Friberg, a Swedish aviation safety analyst. “The cabin pressure differential can create significant suction forces, but modern aircraft windows are designed to withstand far greater loads.” The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Ryanair’s safety record following the 2021 diversion of Flight 4978 over Belarus and the subsequent arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich, an episode that drew international condemnation and EU sanctions.
Passengers described moments of sheer terror. “It was like a scene from a horror film,” said one traveler quoted by *Il Fatto Quotidiano*. “The man’s head was completely outside the plane. We thought we were going to lose him.” The European Cockpit Association (ECA) called for immediate clarity on the cause and urged airlines to review window integrity checks, especially on older 737 NG models. “While the outcome here was fortunate, such events underscore the importance of rigorous maintenance and real-time monitoring,” an ECA spokesperson said. Investigators are expected to examine the damaged window, engine components, and maintenance logs in the coming days.
Follow us for live European news
- 4
- 3
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
3 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Höll på att sugas ut ur flygplan Fönstret krossat på Ryanair-flight
expressen · about 2 hours ago
La sua testa era completamente fuori dallaereo, è stato 5 minuti appeso nel vuoto a 600 allora: i racconti choc dei passeggeri del volo Ryanair partito da Salonicco La sua testa era completamente fuori dallaereo. È da film horror il racconto dei passeggeri a bordo del volo Ryanair FR1879, decollato la mattina di venerdì 10 luglio 2026 dallaeroporto di Salonicco e diretto a Memmingen, in Germania. Durante la fase di ascesa, a circa 6.000 metri di quota, un pezzo del motore destro del […] Larticolo La sua testa era completamente fuori dallaereo, è stato 5 minuti appeso nel vuoto a 600 allora: i racconti choc dei passeggeri del volo Ryanair partito da Salonicco proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.
il fatto quotidiano · about 2 hours ago
Man uit gebroken raam van Ryanairvlucht gezogen, passagiers trekken hem terug Een vliegtuigpassagier heeft vrijdag de schrik van zijn leven gehad op een vlucht van Ryanair. Tijdens de vlucht van Thessaloniki naar het Duitse Memmingen brak het raam en werd hij deels naar buiten gezogen. Mede-passagiers wisten hem terug het vliegtuig in te trekken.
nu.nl · about 2 hours ago
„Gibt einem nicht unbedingt das beste Gefühl Ein Ryanair-Passagier wurde auf dem Flug nach Deutschland offenbar bis zu den Schultern aus einem geborstenen Fenster gesogen. Mitreisende hielten den Mann fest. WELT-Reporter Daniel Koop berichtet.
welt.de · about 2 hours ago
Immer sicher im Sitz: Warum Sie im Flugzeug angeschnallt bleiben sollten Im Flieger legen viele den Sicherheitsgurt nur an, wenn sie müssen, also die bekannten Zeichen aufleuchten. Warum stetiges Anschnallen für die eigene Sicherheit wichtig ist, zeigt dieser Zwischenfall.
handelsblatt · about 2 hours ago
Luftfahrt: Fenster bricht bei Boeing 737 – Ryanair-Maschine nach Memmingen kehrt um Auf dem Weg ins Allgäu kehrte ein Ryanair-Flugzeug um. Der Grund: Ein Mann soll aus einem zerbrochenen Fenster gezogen worden sein. Mitreisende konnten Schlimmeres verhindern.
handelsblatt · about 2 hours ago
Incident grav la bordul unui avion care decolase din Grecia. Un pasager, parțial aspirat spre exterior Un zbor Ryanair de la Salonic la Memmingen s-a întors în siguranță în Grecia vineri, după ce a suferit o defecțiune gravă la motor în timpul zborului, un pasager fiind ușor rănit de resturi provenite de la motorul aeronavei. Un geam a fost spart de fragmente desprinse din motor în urma unei avarii. Pasagerul de lângă fereastră a fost aspirat parțial spre exteriorul aeronavei, dar a fost prins de ceilalți pasageri. Piloții au detectat problema în timp ce aeronava se afla deasupra Macedoniei de Nord și au decis să se întoarcă la Salonic, după ce defecțiunea nu a putut fi remediată în timpul zborului.
digi24 · about 2 hours ago
„Kopf und Schultern ragten hinaus: Ryanair-Maschine muss nach Scheibenbruch umkehren In der Kabine fielen Sauerstoffmasken herab. Der Pilot brach daraufhin den Flug nach Memmingen ab.
die presse · about 2 hours ago
Una ventana de un avión de Ryanair se desprende y casi succiona a un pasajero en Grecia en pleno vuelo La aeronave, que se dirigía a Alemania, logró tomar tierra de manera forzosa en el aeropuerto de Salónica sin que se registraran víctimas mortales Leer
elmundo · about 2 hours ago
Man nearly sucked out of detached window on Ryanair flight A man was nearly sucked out of the window of a Ryanair flight when it detached mid-air en route to Germany, with other passengers pulling him back inside, witnesses and officials said. The passenger, described as a tourist from Serbia on a flight from Thessaloniki in Greece to Memmingen in Germany, has been hospitalised with friction burns but was otherwise in good condition, authorities said. Most of us had fallen asleep, we had closed our eyes. There was a noise, like a tyre bursting, a...
south china morning post · about 2 hours ago
![[lalibre] Panique à bord dun vol Ryanair de la Grèce vers lAllemagne: La tête et les épaules dun passager étaient à lextérieur du hublot #Europe](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/preview_cards/images/199/708/524/original/4c0d2c13fad570cf.jpg)
[lalibre] Panique à bord dun vol Ryanair de la Grèce vers lAllemagne: La tête et les épaules dun passager étaient à lextérieur du hublot #Europe
mastodon bot · about 2 hours ago
✈️ A man was nearly sucked out the window of a Ryanair flight when it "detached" mid-air en route to Germany, with other passengers pulling him back inside, witnesses and officials said Friday. ➡️ u.afp.com/SKRV
bluesky_AFP English · about 2 hours ago
Wizz Air flight seconds from disaster after computer error
bluesky_The Times · about 2 hours ago
Ryanair passenger nearly sucked out of window at 20,000ft
bluesky_The Times · about 2 hours ago
Teroare la bordul unui zbor Ryanair în această dimineață: bubuitură puternică, apoi un geam spart. Un bărbat a fost ținut de două persoane pentru a nu fi aspirat afară: „Capul și umerii îi ieșeau prin hublou Un geam spart în timpul zborului a stârnit panică la bordul unei aeronave a companiei Ryanair care efectua vineri o cursă din orașul grecesc Salonic către Memmingen, în Germania. În urma incidentului, aeronava a revenit pe aeroportul de plecare, la scurt timp după decolare, transmite agenția de presă DPA, citată de Agerpres. Un pasager a …
hotnews.ro · about 2 hours ago
Panique à bord dun vol Ryanair de la Grèce vers lAllemagne: La tête et les épaules dun passager étaient à lextérieur du hublot (VIDÉOS) Un passager a été partiellement aspiré vers lextérieur après la rupture dun hublot en plein vol, selon des témoignages. ...
la libre · about 2 hours ago
Passagier met hoofd en schouders door gebroken raam gezogen tijdens Ryanair-vlucht
de morgen · about 2 hours ago
Griechenland: Fenster bricht – Ryanair-Maschine nach Memmingen kehrt um Auf ihrem Ryanair-Flug nach Bayern hören Passagiere kurz nach dem Start einen lauten Knall. Eine Fensterscheibe zerbricht, es folgen dramatische Szenen - und ein wohl glimpfliches Ende des Vorfalls.
tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago
Passasjer ble delvis «sugd» ut av vinduet på Ryanair-fly Et Ryanair-fly på vei til Tyskland fikk et uventet stopp.
aftenposten · about 2 hours ago
Scene de groază într-un avion Ryanair: pasager aspirat parțial prin geamul spart. „Capul și umerii îi erau în afară! Au fost momente de panică extremă la bordul unui avion al Ryanair care efectua o cursă între Salonic, Grecia, și Memmingen, Germania. Vineri, aeronava a fost nevoită să revină pe aeroportul de plecare la scurt timp după decolare.
adevarul · about 2 hours ago
Ryanair, finestrino si stacca dopo il decollo. Passeggero trattenuto per non essere risucchiato Lavaria oggi in un volo da Salonicco (in Grecia) a Memmingen in Baviera. Il vettore: garantita lassistenza medica alla persona ferita. Ricoverato, avrebbe subito ustioni da sfregamento. Tre contusi, subito dimessi. Laeromobile ha avuto un problema anche il giorno prima
corriere · about 2 hours ago
Unterwegs nach Memmingen: Flugzeugfenster bricht – Ryanair-Maschine kehrt um Auf ihrem Ryanair-Flug nach Bayern hören Passagiere kurz nach dem Start einen lauten Knall: eine Fensterscheibe ist zerbrochen. Mitreisende müssen den dort sitzenden Mann festhalten.
faz · about 2 hours ago
Pilot in €8.4m cocaine smuggling case says childhood trauma made him a people pleaser A court heard that the defence will seek psychological report after arguing the pilot became a people pleaser following early abandonment.
thejournal · about 2 hours ago
Ryanair plane makes emergency landing after window dislodges Passenger sitting next to window was nearly sucked out of aircraft, according to reports
financial times · about 2 hours ago
![Ryanair flight nightmare: Passenger almost sucked out when engine debris smashes window Ryanair flight FR1879 from Thessaloniki/Salonika in Greece to Memmingen in southern Germany turned into a scene of pure terror on […]](https://euroweeklynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/shutterstock_2418049559-1-1024x665.jpg?type=local)
Ryanair flight nightmare: Passenger almost sucked out when engine debris smashes window Ryanair flight FR1879 from Thessaloniki/Salonika in Greece to Memmingen in southern Germany turned into a scene of pure terror on […]
euroweeklynews · about 2 hours ago
Man nearly sucked out of window mid-air on Ryanair plane, passengers say Ryanair confirm a passenger was given medical treatment after an incident on a Malta Air flight, which is owned by Ryanair.
bbc · about 2 hours ago
Passenger Is Partly Sucked Through Plane Window but Survives, Reports Say A 61-year-old man was being treated for friction burns after a window was damaged during a flight from Greece to Germany. The flight was operated by the Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air.
new york times · about 2 hours ago
Betört egy Ryanair-gép ablaka, a nyomásváltozás egy utast beszippantott az ablakba, a feje kilógott a gépből Egy Boeing 737-essel történt az eset nem sokkal azután, hogy felszállt a szaloniki reptérről Németország felé. A 61 éves férfit vissza tudták húzni az utastérbe, a kényszerleszállás után kórházba került.
444.hu · about 2 hours ago
Fenster in Ryanair-Flugzeug bricht, Kopf von Passagier ragt hinaus Dramatische Szenen an Bord eines Ryanair-Flugs aus Griechenland: Ein Passagier wurde durch eine geborstene Scheibe fast nach außen gezogen, Mitreisende mussten den Mann festhalten. Der Kapitän brach die Reise ab.
welt.de · about 2 hours ago
„Sein Kopf ragte aus dem zerbrochenen Fenster: Passagier wird bei Ryanair-Flug nach Memmingen beinahe aus Maschine gezogen Auf einem Flug von Griechenland nach Deutschland zerbricht mit einem lauten Knall eine Fensterscheibe. Reisende berichten von dramatischen Minuten an Bord. Die Boeing 737-800 kehrte um.
tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago