Full Breakdown
Ryanair CEO Disputes Passenger’s Window-Suction Claim
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On a Ryanair-operated flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on July 10, a Boeing 737-800’s right-hand engine suffered a fan-blade fracture shortly after take-off. Fragments pierced the engine cowl and shattered a cabin window at about 16,000 ft. Passenger Ljubisa Karovic, 61, was seated adjacent to the breach and sustained neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary told reporters after the airline’s AGM in Dublin that the passenger was “certainly sucked towards the window” but “didn’t get out the window.”
Background & Context
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation for Greek authorities. Its preliminary report attributes the window failure to “foreign-object damage” from the broken fan blade. A 2018 Southwest 737 incident prompted the NTSB to recommend a modification to prevent engine debris from exiting the cowling; the FAA requires this modification by July 31 2028.
Data & Statistics
- Flight: FR-1879 (operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737-800, registration 9H-QEU
- Engines: Two CFM International 56 turbofans
- Injuries: Neck and shoulder trauma, friction burns to Karovic
- Witnesses: Karovic’s wife Svetlana Grkovic Maksimovic, seat-mate Eleni Kyranou, and several other passengers reported seeing part of Karovic’s body outside the fuselage.
Official Statements & Responses
- O’Leary said the airline will “dispute” any claim that a body part exited the aircraft.
- Vasilis Tsiaras, Karovic’s lawyer, asserted that eyewitnesses saw the passenger’s head and shoulder protrude from the window and that Karovic is entitled to compensation.
- The NTSB warned Ryanair that O’Leary’s public comments could violate Annex 13 of the ICAO, which restricts release of investigative information without approval.
Criticism & Opposition
The NTSB’s admonition represents formal criticism of Ryanair’s remarks. The board emphasized that Ryanair, as an accredited representative, must obtain permission before releasing investigative details, and that premature statements could impede the inquiry.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Eyewitness accounts describe Karovic’s head and shoulder being partially outside the aircraft, with one passenger using a suitcase to block the opening.
- O’Leary’s position denies any part of the body exited the window, describing the event only as a dramatic suction toward the breach.
- The NTSB’s preliminary findings confirm the window shattered due to engine debris but have not yet determined the exact extent of Karovic’s exposure. The final report is pending.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He wasn't partially out the window,” — Michael O'Leary
- “We will be certainly at the end of the process disputing that he or any part of his anatomy will bend out the window.” — Michael O’Leary
- “Look, that incident is being investigated by the NTSB, and we have to await the outcome of the NTSB report.” — Michael O’Leary
- “We’re not trying to downplay it.” — Michael O’Leary
- “We went through hell but every morning when I awake, I say thank God everything ended well,” — Svetlana
What’s Next
The NTSB will release a final investigative report later in 2026. Ryanair will continue participating with Boeing and GE in the technical review, and compliance with the FAA-mandated engine-cowl modification remains required by July 31 2028.
