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Ryanair says its planes are safe after passenger nearly sucked out window
Ryanair has publicly defended the safety of its fleet after a passenger was nearly sucked out of an aircraft window during a mid-flight engine failure, while confirming it remains in contact with the man's family. Group chief financial officer Neil Sorahan praised the crew's handling of the emergency and said it was too early to discuss compensation ahead of an ongoing US-led investigation into the incident. The episode has drawn scrutiny to Ryanair and its subsidiary Malta Air just as the airline reports strong summer booking demand.
The incident occurred earlier this month when Ljubisa Karović, 61, was pulled headfirst towards a smashed acrylic window on a Boeing 737 flying from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, after engine debris struck the aircraft. His wife, Svetlana Grković, held onto his legs and, with help from two other passengers, pulled him back inside before the plane returned safely to Thessaloniki. The US National Transportation Safety Board is leading a full investigation, which Ryanair says it is fully cooperating with, and Sorahan noted that neither the FAA nor EASA have ordered any operational changes. He also criticised the EU's new digital entry-exit border checks for nearly tripling passport control waiting times at some airports this summer.
In short
- Ryanair defends fleet safety after mid-flight window incident nearly ejected a passenger
- Wife and fellow passengers pulled the man back into the cabin
- NTSB leading investigation; Ryanair reports strong summer bookings despite the scare
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This incident exposes an unacceptable vulnerability: a passenger came perilously close to being pulled from an aircraft in flight. Whilst the crew's response was exemplary, the airline's immediate focus on defending its safety record rather than acknowledging the severity of what occurred suggests misplaced priorities. True safety requires manufacturers and operators to exceed minimum regulatory standards and address the design weaknesses this incident has revealed.
The case against
This was an extraordinarily rare sequence of events—engine failure, debris escape, and window impact occurring together. The aircraft's safety systems functioned as designed, trained crew responded expertly, and passengers were ultimately protected. Regulators with deep technical authority have not mandated operational changes, and drawing broader safety conclusions before investigations conclude would be premature. The airline is properly cooperating with authorities to understand what happened.
Explained simply
A Boeing 737 aircraft operated by Ryanair experienced an engine failure earlier this month during a flight from Greece to Germany. Engine debris struck the aircraft's window, causing it to shatter and creating a dangerous pressure difference that pulled a 61-year-old passenger towards the opening; his wife and other travellers managed to hold him back inside before the plane safely returned to its departure airport.
Ryanair is Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, operating thousands of flights each year. Incidents involving engine failures and aircraft damage are significant matters for aviation safety regulators and the travelling public.
The US National Transportation Safety Board is leading an official investigation into what caused the engine failure. Neither the US Federal Aviation Administration nor Europe's aviation regulator has ordered any changes to aircraft operations, though investigators will determine whether any improvements to safety procedures are needed.
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