Moments of panic! Ryanair plane window breaks off during flight to Thessaloniki, air "sucks" passenger (VIDEO)

2026-07-11 09:37:46Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff after a window on the plane moved during flight, causing decompression in the cabin. One passenger was injured and taken to hospital.

According to passenger accounts, the plane had been in the air for about 10 minutes when it suddenly lost about 2,700 meters of altitude. They said they heard a loud explosion, oxygen masks activated and a strong stream of air was created in the cabin.

A 61-year-old Serbian national suffered friction burns and, according to witnesses, was partially ejected from the window up to his shoulders, while his wife and other passengers managed to hold him and pull him back inside the plane. He was taken to hospital in a state of shock but conscious.

In a statement, Ryanair confirmed that the flight immediately returned to Thessaloniki airport after “a passenger window became dislodged during the flight.” According to the company, the plane landed normally, passengers returned to the terminal and a replacement plane transported them to their destination several hours later.

Some passengers claimed that the window may have been damaged by pieces of the engine, but Ryanair has not commented on this claim. Meanwhile, Greek air safety authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

Aviation experts say the use of seat belts was crucial in avoiding a bigger tragedy. Retired pilot Chris Brady said that if the passenger had not been wearing his seat belt, the consequences could have been fatal./BBC


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