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Ryanair passenger nearly sucked out after window shatters mid-flight
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany /Conflict & Security

Ryanair passenger nearly sucked out after window shatters mid-flight

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • A passenger on a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen was nearly sucked out of the plane when a window broke mid-flight.
  • Fellow passengers managed to pull the individual back inside after they had partially exited the aircraft.
  • An aviation expert suggests a detached engine part could have caused the window damage, though this is yet to be confirmed.

A terrifying incident occurred on a Ryanair flight when a window shattered, nearly ejecting a passenger into the sky. The flight was traveling from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany.

Reports indicate that the passenger, seated by the window, was partially pulled out of the aircraft. Eyewitnesses described how other passengers bravely intervened, grabbing hold of the individual and pulling them back into the cabin. The passenger had reportedly already emerged with their head and shoulders outside the plane.

Aircraft expert Andreas Bardenhagen commented on the potential cause of the failure. Greek media reports suggest a piece of the engine may have detached and struck the window from the outside, causing it to break. Bardenhagen is evaluating the plausibility of this scenario, which would explain the catastrophic failure of the window during flight.

My recommendation: always buckle up.

โ€” Andreas BardenhagenAircraft expert Andreas Bardenhagen offers advice following a near-fatal incident on a Ryanair flight.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.