(Thessaloniki) A man was nearly sucked from a Ryanair plane taking off from Thessaloniki, Greece, before being restrained by other passengers, witnesses and authorities said Friday.
“The passenger’s head and shoulders were outside the window,” a passenger on the same Boeing told Radio Thessaloniki. “Luckily he kept his seat belt on.”
According to her, other passengers sitting nearby helped him get inside.
“The passenger window became loose during the flight,” “shortly after takeoff,” Ryanair explained.
The American Boeing Group, manufacturer of the aircraft – the 737NG-800 delivered in 2008 to Malta Air, a subsidiary of Ryanair – told AFP that it was “aware of an incident on flight FR1879” between Thessaloniki and Memmingen (Germany).
“We are in contact with Ryanair,” the aircraft manufacturer added.
For its part, the American aviation regulator (FAA) confirmed that it is “ready to support the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) and the American Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).”
He confirmed that the Boeing returned to land in Thessaloniki “after a window broke.”
When an incident occurs overseas, the local regulator leads the investigation and may request assistance from counterparts in other countries. In this case, the US side will be led by the NTSB, and the FAA will provide technical support in coordination with it.
In a separate statement, the NTSB said that because the incident occurred in North Macedonia’s airspace, it will actually be the small Balkan country’s air regulator that will lead the investigation and decide whether or not to seek international assistance.
Engine problem
The American body, for its part, has already appointed “an accredited American representative who, together with technical consultants (from the FAA, Boeing and GE Aerospace), is ready to help,” she noted, confirming that the plane had a “problem with the right engine and depressurization of the cabin.”
According to Greek media, the window was broken by debris that came off one of the plane’s engines.
According to the specialized website AirFleets, this aircraft is equipped with two CFM56-7B26 engines manufactured by CFM International, a company owned in equal shares by the American group GE Aerospace and the French Safran.
“Safety is our top priority,” CFM insisted in a message sent to AFP. “Our thoughts are with the passengers, pilots and crew on board.”
The company is “supporting its customers and participating in the ongoing investigation,” she continued.
Ryanair said in a statement that the Boeing “returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window came off during the flight.”
“The plane landed normally and the passengers returned to the terminal,” the company said, adding that a spare plane had been provided to transport passengers to Memmingen.
However, the victim, believed to be a Serbian tourist, was hospitalized in Thessaloniki with friction burns. However, his condition is not cause for concern, Greek authorities say.
“Most of us were asleep, we closed our eyes. There was a noise like a tire bursting,” said the passenger.
“We immediately realized that there was a depressurization. Screams were heard. (…) For a moment I thought that someone had accidentally opened the emergency door,” said this woman.
“The (oxygen) masks fell off and there was a strong smell,” she also noted.