- Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputed claims that Ljubisa Karovic was partially sucked out during the July 10 flight.
- The NTSB said a broken fan blade shattered the cabin window, causing rapid depressurization after takeoff.
- The aircraft returned to Thessaloniki with 149 passengers and four crew while compensation talks continue.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary disputed Thursday that passenger Ljubisa Karovic was partially sucked out of an aircraft window, while acknowledging that the 61-year-old suffered neck and shoulder injuries.
The incident occurred on July 10, 2026, during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany. O’Leary said the traveler was drawn toward the damaged window, but not through it.
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A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board found that an engine fan blade broke apart shortly after takeoff. Fragments struck and shattered the cabin window, causing rapid depressurization.
Karovic, described as a Serbian businessman, said he heard a loud “explosion.” He claimed that his head and right shoulder were partially pulled out of the cabin opening.
The airline accepts a violent pull but contests the passenger’s account
O’Leary said the agency’s investigation would determine how the event should be characterized. He said the airline would wait for the report’s outcome before accepting Karovic’s account.
“We don’t believe any part of his body exited the window, but he was indeed drawn towards it in very dramatic circumstances.”
He also said: “He wasn’t partially out the window.” Later, O’Leary said the airline would continue challenging the account after the investigation concludes.
“We will be certainly at the end of the process disputing that he or any part of his anatomy will bend out the window.”
The preliminary account still records serious injuries. Karovic reportedly suffered neck and shoulder injuries, as well as friction burns.
His lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, rejected the chief executive’s description of events and said witnesses supported the passenger’s version.
“I have eyewitnesses who were on the flight and witnessed the events.”
Tsiaras also said Karovic’s wife and other passengers helped bring him back into the cabin. His wife said she held onto his legs, while another passenger blocked the broken opening with a suitcase.
“Therefore, I believe Mr. O’Leary is the one who is mistaken — not my client or his wife.”
The preliminary account links the injuries to engine debris
The aircraft returned to Thessaloniki after the emergency. It carried 149 passengers and four flight attendants.
| Finding or response | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mechanical event | A broken engine fan blade came apart shortly after takeoff |
| Cabin damage | Debris shattered the window |
| Aircraft response | The flight returned to Thessaloniki |
| Investigation | The agency is examining the event with Boeing and engine manufacturer GE |
The broken blade finding provides the mechanical explanation for the window damage, while the dispute centers on whether the pressure change pulled any part of Karovic’s body outside the cabin.
The investigation involves the National Transportation Safety Board, Boeing and GE, alongside the airline. The preliminary finding describes the debris strike and rapid loss of cabin pressure; the final account will address the competing descriptions of what happened at the window.
Compensation talks continue while the airline rejects a class action
O’Leary said the airline is communicating with Karovic’s lawyer and accepts that the passenger is entitled to compensation. He rejected suggestions that the case would produce a payout worth “millions and millions.”
He made the comments Thursday at the airline’s annual general meeting in Dublin. The compensation discussion remains separate from the factual dispute over whether Karovic’s body crossed the window opening.
The passenger’s account includes his claimed head and shoulder movement, while other accounts describe his head, hand and part of his upper body being drawn toward the opening. His wife and fellow passengers then helped pull him back inside.
The mechanical inquiry will continue alongside those competing accounts. The aircraft’s broken fan blade, the shattered window and the reported injuries form the factual issues under examination as the case proceeds.
