Ryanair Flight 1879 Engine Failure Leads to Window Breach and Passenger Injury

On July 10, 2026, Ryanair Flight 1879, a Boeing 737-8AS operated by Malta Air, departed Thessaloniki, Greece, bound for Memmingen, Germany. Within minutes of take-off, the No. 2 CFM56-7B26 engine experienced a fan-blade separation. Engine fragments struck the fuselage, shattering the window at row 11. The head and shoulders of 61-year-old Ljubisa Karovic, seated in 11F, were partially drawn outside the aircraft, causing serious neck, shoulder injuries and friction burns. Passengers and a flight attendant pulled him back, oxygen masks deployed, and the crew returned to Thessaloniki for an emergency landing.

The Independent

The U.S. NTSB was designated to lead the inquiry under ICAO Annex 13 rules, with Greece’s Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority participating as an accredited representative. The NTSB expects a final report within 12–24 months.

CNN

Preliminary analysis confirmed that the fan blade fractured at its root, showing fatigue cracking despite recent ultrasonic inspections. Eight additional blades on the same engine were found deformed on their leading edges. Bird remains, including feathers, were recovered from the engine inlet, and crews had logged four suspected bird strikes involving this engine in the preceding 12 months, with debris found in two events.

CNN

The aircraft, delivered new to Ryanair in 2008, is a Boeing 737-800 capable of carrying up to 189 passengers. Maintenance records show ultrasonic inspections of the right-hand engine’s fan blades in May 2026 and November 2025, each reporting no defects. The plane climbed to about 15,000 ft six minutes after departure before descending to roughly 6,000 ft to burn fuel and returning to Thessaloniki about an hour after take-off.

The Independent

The injured passenger was moved to row 12, where a fellow traveler who was a doctor administered immediate care. Other passengers retrieved a metal container to block the broken window until the aircraft landed. One passenger later sought medical assistance on the ground.

ABC11 Eyewitness News

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy wrote that accredited representatives are prohibited from commenting on potential causes while the investigation remains open. A Boeing spokesperson affirmed the company’s cooperation with the NTSB and adherence to ICAO protocols.

CNN

The NTSB rebuked O’Leary for providing analysis before the investigation’s conclusion, stating that his remarks violated international rules.

CNN

• Passengers: 149; crew: 6.

The Independent

• Injured: 1 (61-year-old Serbian passenger).

The Independent

• Engine model: CFM56-7B26.

CNN

• Fan-blade inspections: May 2026, November 2025 (no defects recorded).

BNN Bloomberg

• Prior bird-strike reports on the same engine: 4 (bird remains found in two).

CNN

• Additional deformed blades: 8.

CNN

The chief discrepancy lies between O’Leary’s assertion that the event was solely “foreign-object damage” and the NTSB’s preliminary finding of fatigue cracking combined with bird-strike evidence. Neither side has yet presented a definitive causal determination, and the investigation remains open.

CNN

• “Some of the more salacious reports that one passenger was halfway out the window, head out the window. Nobody was out any window,” — Michael O’Leary, Ryanair CEO

CNN

• “The NTSB is currently investigating that accident and therefore, accredited representatives and their technical advisers are prohibited from making any comments regarding the potential cause of the event or otherwise conveying potential investigative information,” — Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman

CNN

The NTSB’s final report will be issued within the next one to two years. Meanwhile, the U.S. FAA’s 2028 deadline for mandated engine-cover modifications remains in effect, and regulators may reassess the timeline in light of this incident.

BNN Bloomberg