Lawyer for Serbian who nearly fell from plane: We could also sue 'Boeing' or 'General Electric'

A Serbian passenger, Ljubiša Karović, who claims he narrowly escaped falling out of a Ryanair "Boeing 737" aircraft, is preparing to sue, with his lawyer suggesting potential liability could extend to aircraft manufacturers Boeing and General Electric.

The incident occurred on a flight from Thessaloniki to Munich approximately two weeks ago. Karović, reportedly wearing a neck brace, alleges that he was exposed to the outside of the aircraft for about two minutes. "We are currently in the early stages of the process, so the issue of compensation is not the main focus right now. But we will certainly seek significant compensation from all those responsible, Ryanair, Boeing, and others, provided their responsibility is established, which we believe is very likely," stated Karović's lawyer, Vasilis Cijaras, to RTS.

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We are currently in the early stages of the process, so the issue of compensation is not the main focus right now. But we will certainly seek significant compensation from all those responsible, Ryanair, Boeing, and others, provided their responsibility is established, which we believe is very likely.

An investigation into the incident is underway, with official findings expected in about 30 days. Cijaras shared a working hypothesis based on an initial review by a technical expert and official investigators. "According to my understanding of the situation, a fragment from the engine pierced the engine casing, then hit the window, causing it to shatter and leading to decompression of the passenger cabin," Cijaras explained, emphasizing that this remains a hypothesis pending official reports.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary previously stated that preliminary investigations suggested engine damage due to a foreign object during takeoff. However, he noted this could not yet be confirmed. O'Leary also mentioned that the 18-year-old Boeing 737's engine had undergone full maintenance and overhaul within the past two years. Karović's lawyer cautioned that O'Leary's statement represented a personal opinion, not necessarily a consensus among investigators, and highlighted that the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has criticized the public disclosure of ongoing investigation details.

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According to my understanding of the situation, a fragment from the engine pierced the engine casing, then hit the window, causing it to shatter and leading to decompression of the passenger cabin.