Passenger Recounts Terrifying Experience Aboard Ryanair Flight
A passenger on a Ryanair flight recently shared her harrowing experience when her husband was almost ejected from the aircraft mid-flight. Svetlana Grković recounted the moments when her husband, Ljubisa Karović, was nearly sucked through a shattered window during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany.
The Incident Unfolds
Svetlana described how her husband was partially outside the aircraft for about two minutes. She quickly reacted by grabbing his legs, determined to hold on to him no matter the outcome. With the assistance of two other passengers, she managed to pull him back inside the plane. Ljubisa lost consciousness three times during the ordeal.
According to Svetlana, they attempted to secure the window with a suitcase, but it was sucked out due to the sudden decompression. She believes the incident was triggered by a malfunction in the plane's engine, which led to debris striking the cabin window and causing it to shatter.
Passenger and Technical Observations
Ljubisa, who had kept his seatbelt fastened, sustained serious injuries and is currently hospitalized. Svetlana mentioned that he is in shock and has difficulty remembering the incident. His hand is severely injured, and he suffered burns. Svetlana and other passengers reported hearing a loud noise resembling an explosion, which further fueled the chaos.
A technical adviser suggested that a fault in the plane's right engine might have initiated the chain of events, though this theory is still under investigation.
Ryanair's Response and Ongoing Investigations
Ryanair issued a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming the flight returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff. The airline noted that the aircraft landed safely and that medical assistance was provided to the injured passenger.
The aircraft, operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air, was in the air for approximately 10 minutes before it descended sharply by 9,000 feet (2,700 meters). The incident is being investigated by the Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority, alongside international aviation authorities including Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Reactions and Emotional Impact
Fellow passengers shared their accounts of the dramatic event. Christina, one of the passengers, expressed the fear and confusion during the decompression, initially believing that an emergency door might have been opened. Another passenger, Sofia, described the suffocating sensation and the injured man's repeated loss of consciousness.
Svetlana and her husband are both dealing with the psychological aftermath. She expressed her fears of a potential crash and noted that her husband becomes visibly distressed when airplanes are mentioned.
The investigation continues to determine the exact cause of the incident, with multiple aviation authorities involved due to the international nature of the flight and aircraft.
Source: Original Article
