A passenger was partially pulled through a broken cabin window after a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, suffered an apparent engine failure shortly after take-off on Friday, forcing the Boeing 737-800 to make an emergency return to its departure airport. The aircraft landed safely at Thessaloniki after cabin depressurisation, and one passenger received medical treatment while investigators began examining the aircraft. Preliminary reports indicate engine debris may have struck the window, although the cause remains under investigation.
The incident involved Ryanair flight FR1879, operated by Malta Air, which departed Thessaloniki on the morning of July 10. Witnesses and airport sources said a 61-year-old Serbian passenger seated next to the damaged window was partially pulled into the opening before fellow passengers restrained him and brought him fully back into the cabin. Ryanair later operated a replacement aircraft to transport passengers to Memmingen.
BREAKING: Ryanair passenger reportedly saved from being sucked out the cabin after window fails during a flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen.
According to local media Ryanair flight FR1879, a Boeing 737-8AS, returned safely to Greece on Friday after part of a damaged engine… pic.twitter.com/YPgRodjPFp
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 10, 2026
Emergency return after cabin depressurisation
According to Ryanair, the aircraft returned to Thessaloniki shortly after departure after “a passenger window dislodged inflight.” The airline said the aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight.
“The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal.
“One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki.
“In order to minimise any delay, a replacement aircraft was arranged to bring passengers to Memmingen which departed Thessaloniki at 9.53am local this morning.”
Flight tracking data show the Boeing 737-800 climbed to approximately 16,000 feet before turning back toward Thessaloniki. The aircraft remained airborne while descending and preparing for landing before touching down safely around an hour after departure.
Photographs and videos circulating after the incident appeared to show extensive damage to the aircraft’s right engine as well as a missing or shattered passenger window. Aviation authorities have not yet confirmed the exact sequence of events, although multiple reports indicate debris from an apparent uncontained engine failure may have struck the fuselage and damaged the window.
Passengers describe dramatic moments on board
Passengers reported hearing a loud bang before oxygen masks deployed throughout the cabin as pressure rapidly dropped.
A woman travelling on the flight told Radio Thessaloniki 94.5: “A noise was heard as if a tire had burst. There was panic with screams, screams and voices because we immediately lost altitude from the decompression.”
She added: “For a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door. The flight attendants lost it. We all immediately put on our masks. It seemed like a very long time before we understood what was happening.”
Describing the injured passenger, she said: “They grabbed him and held him down; fortunately, he hadn’t taken off his seatbelt.
“His head was completely outside the plane. The girls who were next to him were pulling him. Some doctors also went to help him.”
Hospital officials said the passenger suffered neck injuries, abrasions and friction burns but remained conscious. Reports indicated his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The investigation is being led by authorities in North Macedonia because the incident occurred in that country’s airspace, with support from international aviation agencies, Boeing and the aircraft manufacturer as investigators examine the damaged aircraft in Thessaloniki.
The event has drawn comparisons with the fatal 2018 Southwest Airlines accident in the United States, when engine debris shattered a cabin window on another Boeing 737-800, causing a passenger to be partially pulled outside the aircraft. Aviation authorities have not suggested any link between the two events, and the cause of the Ryanair incident has yet to be determined.
Photo Credit: katatonia82 / Shutterstock.com
