Thessaloniki, Greece. A 61-year-old Serbian passenger was injured after a cabin window shattered during a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, Germany, causing a rapid loss of cabin pressure shortly after takeoff.
Passengers said the man was pulled towards the opening but was held by his wife and other travellers before being brought back into the cabin.
Rapid descent after takeoff
The flight departed Thessaloniki on Friday morning for southern Germany. Flight tracking data showed that the Boeing aircraft descended by about 9,000 feet around 10 minutes after departure following the loss of cabin pressure.
Passengers told local media they heard a loud bang before oxygen masks deployed and panic spread through the cabin. One traveller said she initially believed an emergency exit door had opened.
Passenger pulled towards opening
Witnesses said the passenger seated beside the damaged window was drawn towards the opening, with his head and shoulders outside the aircraft.
The man remained secured by his seatbelt, according to another passenger. His wife reportedly held his legs for about five minutes until other passengers assisted in pulling him back into the cabin.
Reported engine debris
Video footage showed damage to an engine on the Ryanair Boeing 737, with metal debris reportedly ejected shortly after takeoff. The debris was reported to have struck the fuselage and shattered the window beside the passenger seats.
The flight’s destination was Memmingen, although initial reports referred to Munich.
Passenger hospitalised
Michalis Giannakos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees, said the passenger was hospitalised with friction burns.
He said the man remained in severe shock but was fully conscious.
