Passenger partially sucked out of Ryanair aircraft after window dislodges mid-flight

A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, returned shortly after takeoff on Friday after a cabin window dislodged, triggering a depressurization event and injuring one passenger.

Reports from multiple outlets said a 61-year-old Serbian passenger was partially pulled toward the opening before nearby passengers helped bring him back inside the cabin. The aircraft landed safely in Thessaloniki, and the injured traveler received medical treatment on the ground.

Ryanair confirmed the incident and said the aircraft landed normally. The airline also said one passenger received medical assistance and that a replacement aircraft was arranged to carry travelers onward.

What happened on the flight

The flight was being operated by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair. Coverage says the cabin window dislodged soon after departure, forcing the crew to turn the aircraft back to Thessaloniki.

Passengers described oxygen masks deploying after the failure, and reporting indicated the cabin suffered a loss of pressure. The exact sequence inside the aircraft has not been officially laid out in full, but the broad outline is consistent across the reporting: the flight departed, the window failed, the plane returned, and one passenger was hurt.

Early accounts described the man as being partially sucked out of the aircraft. Ryanair’s confirmed statement, as reported by news outlets, was narrower and limited to the window dislodgement, the return to Thessaloniki, and medical assistance for one passenger.

Injury and response

The injured passenger was treated in Thessaloniki after the plane returned. Reports identified him as a 61-year-old Serbian man.

Multiple accounts say other passengers were the ones who pulled him back into the cabin after he was drawn toward the opening. That detail has appeared in several reports, but the broader official picture remains limited to Ryanair’s confirmation that one passenger required medical attention.

The rest of the passengers were transferred onward on a replacement aircraft arranged by the airline.

Investigation underway

The Irish Aviation Authority said it was aware of the event and that an investigation was underway with Greek and Maltese aviation safety authorities. That means the cause of the failure has not yet been established.

One theory mentioned in reporting is that engine debris may have struck the fuselage or window, but that remains unconfirmed. Other outlets have noted that the cause could still prove to be something else entirely, and investigators have not publicly settled the question.

Boeing said it was aware of the incident and in contact with Ryanair. The aircraft type has been described inconsistently in coverage, so the safest verified description is a Boeing 737-800 or Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft.

Why it matters

The incident stands out because it combines a rare mid-air structural failure with a passenger injury and an open safety investigation. Events involving cabin depressurization are unusual enough on their own; a window dislodging shortly after takeoff makes the case more notable still.

The episode is also likely to draw scrutiny because investigators will want to determine whether the damage came from an external strike, a component failure or another cause. The answer could matter not only for this aircraft, but for any broader maintenance or inspection review that follows.

For now, the confirmed facts are limited but serious: the flight returned to Thessaloniki, one passenger was hurt, the aircraft landed safely, and safety authorities are working to establish what caused the window to come loose.