NTSB Report Details How Ryanair Boeing 737 Window Shattered

The NTSB’s preliminary findings describe how a broken engine component shattered a window on a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 and partially pulled a passenger through the opening during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, on July 10. The aircraft, en route to Memmingen, Germany, returned to Thessaloniki less than ten minutes after takeoff. Investigators said a fan blade from the right engine broke loose, sending debris outward that shattered a cabin window and damaged the fuselage in other areas. Ryanair said the window dislodged while the plane was over North Macedonia, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and land at Macedonia Airport, with firefighters and ambulances standing by. The passenger in seat 11F, 61-year-old Ljubisa Karovic, suffered neck and shoulder injuries plus friction burns after his head and shoulders were pulled through, according to cited reports. Investigators found bird remains inside the engine but have not determined the exact cause of the fan blade failure; a final report is expected later.