Ryanair passenger recounts near-fatal ordeal after window shatters mid-flight

Ljubisa Karović, a 61-year-old businessman, described the harrowing experience of surviving a mid-flight incident where a window on his Ryanair flight shattered, nearly sucking him out of the plane. Karović, who was seated in 11F, was asleep when the window next to him broke, an event he recalls with the sound of an "explosion" preceding the chaos.

He recounted the intense noise, which still disturbs his sleep, and the moments of panic that followed. Karović sustained burns and bruises on his right arm, armpit, and chest, and continues to experience pain in his head and neck. Doctors have recommended he wear a cervical collar for at least six weeks, after which further evaluation for potential surgery will occur.

Karović credits his seatbelt for potentially saving his life, stating, "I am lucky. I don't remember much, and my head and neck still hurt, but I am alive." He believes his survival might also be a matter of destiny, expressing gratitude to God daily.

His lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, explained that Karović was partially pulled through the window, from the chest up, as the cabin lost pressure. The incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet, with the aircraft traveling at over 600 km/h. Karović was en route to Germany to celebrate his brother's birthday.

Karović's wife, Svetlana, who was three rows behind him, described the scene as masks dropped and objects flew through the cabin. She credited fellow passengers, particularly one man she described as "incredible" and possibly Albanian, for their quick actions in trying to pull her husband back inside and then attempting to block the broken window with luggage. These efforts, she said, lasted between one and a half to two minutes.

Ryanair has contested claims made by Karović's wife and lawyer that cabin crew were slow to respond. The airline asserted that the crew performed a "phenomenal job" during the decompression event.