THESSALONIKI, Greece – A Ryanair flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger was partially sucked out of the aircraft when a cabin window shattered and detached from its frame shortly after takeoff. The incident occurred on Friday, July 10, aboard a Boeing 737 Next Generation (737 NG) operating from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany. The aircraft safely returned to Thessaloniki after the mid-air emergency. Ryanair confirmed that the flight turned back because “a passenger window became detached from its fitting during the flight.” The airline said the aircraft landed normally and all passengers were safely escorted back to the terminal.
The passenger, a Serbian national, was taken to Thessaloniki’s AHEPA University Hospital. Serbian officials said the individual did not suffer life-threatening injuries, although doctors were continuing to assess the extent of the injuries. According to Serbian media, witnesses described a terrifying scene in which the man’s head and shoulders were pulled outside the aircraft through the damaged window before fellow passengers managed to pull him back inside the cabin. The cause of the window failure remains under investigation.
Greek media reported that debris from the aircraft’s engine may have struck the cabin window shortly after takeoff. Several local reports, citing airport sources, said an internal engine component broke apart, sending fragments into the fuselage and causing cabin depressurization. Videos posted on social media appeared to show severe damage to one of the aircraft’s engines, with missing fan blades consistent with an engine failure that can eject high-speed debris. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the Boeing 737 NG returning to Thessaloniki shortly after departure instead of continuing to Germany.
The same aircraft had reportedly aborted another flight the previous evening while operating a service to Sarajevo, returning to Thessaloniki soon after takeoff. The reason for that diversion has not been confirmed, and investigators have not said whether the two incidents are related.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the aircraft involved was a Boeing 737 NG, an earlier generation of the 737 family that predates the 737 MAX. The agency said it was aware of the broken passenger window and would assist with the investigation if requested. Boeing said it was supporting the investigation being led by authorities in North Macedonia, while continuing to work closely with Ryanair. Ryanair declined to comment further on the aircraft or engine involved beyond confirming the emergency landing.
The Boeing 737 NG fleet operated by Ryanair is powered by CFM56 engines manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran. CFM had not commented on the incident at the time of publication. Investigators are expected to examine the damaged aircraft, including the engine and cabin window, to determine exactly what caused the failure and whether additional safety measures are required.
