Passenger Nearly Pulled Through Ryanair Window
A Ryanair-marketed flight bound for Memmingen returned to Thessaloniki after a passenger window dislodged and the cabin rapidly depressurised. Witnesses said a 61-year-old Serbian man seated beside the opening was pulled through it as far as his shoulders. His wife and nearby passengers managed to drag him back into the cabin before the aircraft landed safely in Greece.
What Happened on the Thessaloniki Flight
- Route: Thessaloniki, Greece–Memmingen, Germany
- Date: 10 July 2026
- Airline: Ryanair service operated by Malta Air
- Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
- Problem: Engine issue followed by cabin decompression
- Response: Aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki
- Medical treatment: Four people taken to hospital
- Onward journey: Replacement aircraft arranged
- Investigation: Led by North Macedonia’s aviation authority
Passengers described hearing a loud bang before oxygen masks dropped and the aircraft began descending. Reports indicate debris associated with a right-engine problem struck or dislodged the window, although investigators must still establish the precise sequence of events. The injured man remained conscious and was treated for shock, neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns after the emergency landing.
The other passengers continued to Germany on a replacement aircraft after returning to Thessaloniki. Anyone affected by a similar diversion should follow airline instructions, keep receipts for necessary meals or accommodation and confirm new travel details before leaving the airport. Travellers with separate onward bookings should also contact those operators quickly, as missed connections on independent tickets may not be automatically protected.
The incident is now a technical investigation rather than proof of a wider problem across Ryanair’s fleet. What stands out for passengers is the value of keeping a seat belt fastened whenever seated, including when the sign is off. Sudden decompression is rare, but this flight showed how quickly a routine journey can turn into an emergency and how much those first seconds matter.