A passenger on a Ryanair-Air Malta flight was nearly sucked out of a broken window last week, an ordeal that experts say is extremely rare but survivable.
Ljubisa Karović was on flight FR3141 from Thessaloniki, Greece, when the window next to him blew out of the Boeing 737-800.
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His head and shoulders were pulled outside the aircraft.
His wife and fellow passengers helped keep him inside. The plane returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff, according to Ryanair.
What Caused the Window to Blow Out?
Investigators have not confirmed details, but passenger reports suggest the window broke after being struck by debris from a failed right engine at about 16,000 feet.
Footage posted online appears to show a missing fan blade.
The incident occurred over North Macedonia, where authorities said the plane turned around due to a right engine issue and cabin decompression.
Karović had his seatbelt on, which helped. Airliner windows are small, and an adult body can physically block the hole.
The most severe suction is short-lived.
“The airflow is sudden and will stop once the pressure inside the cabin is same as the pressure outside,” said Dr Jason Knight, senior lecturer in fluid mechanics at the University of Portsmouth.
Previous Incidents and Survival
In 2018, a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight was partially sucked out of a broken window and died despite being pulled back in.
That incident also involved a Boeing 737 with a broken fan blade.
