Passenger pulls husband back after Ryanair plane window ruptures at 20,000 feet

A Ryanair aircraft en route from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, experienced a window failure about 30 minutes after take-off on Friday, prompting an emergency return to its departure airport. Serbian passenger Ljubiša Karović, 61, was partially pulled out of the aircraft when engine debris shattered the window. His wife, Svetlana Grković, said she immediately grabbed his legs to prevent him from being sucked out, adding that she thought, "If we die, we die together."

Karović, who was strapped in, lost consciousness several times as cabin pressure dropped and sustained serious injuries, including burns and a badly injured hand, according to his wife. Witnesses reported blood on his head and repeated fainting. The crew deployed oxygen masks for all passengers while the plane descended.

The flight landed safely in Thessaloniki, where one passenger received medical assistance on the ground and the remaining travelers were transferred to a replacement aircraft. Ryanair said a window dislodged in flight and said the incident is under investigation.

"The pressure pulled Ljubiša, luckily he was strapped in, but half of his body was sticking out of the plane," Grković told Serbian outlet Nova.

"We were all wearing oxygen masks and didn’t know if we’d make it," a fellow passenger said.

Authorities are examining the cause of the window failure.