The CEO of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, has publicly contested the claims surrounding an incident that occurred on July 10 during a flight from northern Greece to Germany. During this flight, a passenger named Ljubisa Karovic suffered injuries when a window shattered shortly after takeoff. Reports indicate that Karovic sustained injuries to his neck and shoulder, along with friction burns, due to the incident.
Witnesses, including Karovic's wife, allege that the sudden drop in cabin pressure caused Karovic's head and shoulders to be partially sucked out of the broken window. His wife mentioned that she had to hold onto his legs while other passengers assisted in pulling him back into the aircraft. This dramatic rescue has raised concerns and questions about the safety of the flight.
While O'Leary acknowledged that Karovic deserved compensation for his injuries, he disputed the extent of the claims regarding how far out of the window he was. After the airline's annual general meeting in Dublin, O'Leary stated, "He wasn’t partially out the window. We don’t think any part of his body got out the window, but he was certainly sucked in very dramatic circumstances towards the window." This statement has stirred further debate about the airline's accountability in such cases.
At the time of the incident, Karovic had his seatbelt fastened, which likely prevented further injury. Following the window's shattering, other passengers intervened, and flight attendants quickly took action by utilizing a metal box to cover the gaping hole where the window had been. Witnesses noted that the window breakage was caused by fragments from a broken fan blade of the Boeing 737-800's right engine. This incident led to damage of the fuselage and other components of the aircraft, as detailed in a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Flight attendants reported experiencing loud vibrations during the flight, accompanied by the appearance of smoke or fog filling the cabin, which prompted the deployment of oxygen masks from the ceiling. Despite the alarming series of events, the aircraft managed to return safely to Greece following the incident.
The incident has raised significant concerns regarding passenger safety and the operational procedures of Ryanair. With ongoing discussions about compensation and liability, the airline's response and the subsequent investigation findings will undoubtedly be closely scrutinized in the public domain.
