A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen turned into a mid-air emergency on Friday morning after a cabin window shattered during the climb, triggering a violent decompression that partially pulled a passenger toward the opening before fellow travelers dragged him back to safety.
Flight FR1879, operated by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair using a Boeing 737-800 (registration 9H-QEU), departed Thessaloniki at 6:12 a.m. bound for Memmingen, Germany. As the aircraft climbed through roughly 15,000 to 16,000 feet, a loud bang was heard and at least one cabin window broke apart, according to Greek and German aviation outlets. Oxygen masks dropped from the overhead panels as cabin pressure fell.
A 61-year-old Serbian man seated by the damaged window was forced partway into the opening, with his head and shoulders outside the aircraft, according to a witness who spoke to Greek broadcaster ERT. His wife and nearby passengers grabbed hold of him and pulled him back into his seat before the crew could stabilize the cabin.
The pilots declared an emergency, began an immediate descent and turned the aircraft back toward Thessaloniki. The plane landed safely at Macedonia Airport about 60 to 75 minutes after takeoff, with fire crews, ambulances and police staged on standby. Passengers disembarked normally and Ryanair arranged a replacement aircraft to carry them on to Memmingen.
The injured passenger was taken to AHEPA University Hospital in Thessaloniki with friction burns and a neck injury and was scheduled for a CT scan as a precaution. Officials said he was not in life threatening condition. A pregnant passenger was also taken to a hospital as a precaution but was released shortly afterward. No other serious injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.
