In brief
On 10 July, a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen experienced a fan‑blade failure on the right engine just after take‑off. The broken blade tore a cabin window; Serbian passenger Ljubisa Karović’s head and right shoulder were pulled into the hole, leaving him seriously injured. The crew declared an emergency, returned to Thessaloniki, and landed safely. Investigators are probing the cause, while Ryanair’s boss hinted at possible foreign‑object damage.
What Happened On‑Board
A Ryanair jet leaving Thessaloniki on 10 July ran into trouble when the right‑hand engine’s fan blades shattered. The violent break sent fragments flying through the fuselage, tearing a cabin window open. Passenger Ljubisa Karović – a Serbian national – was dragged by the head and right shoulder into the opening, suffering serious injuries, according to a preliminary NTSB report.
Crew members heard a loud bang after noticing high vibrations and stopped the engine in a bid to quell the damage. When the vibration returned with even greater intensity, they declared an emergency, pulled the aircraft back to Thessaloniki and landed without incident.
Investigation Notes
- Engine fan‑blade failure noted shortly after take‑off.
- Broken fragments tore a cabin window.
- Passenger’s head and shoulder pulled into the hole; still in shock.
- Crew reduced engine power, checked systems before continuing autopilot; vibrations returned.
- Emergency declared, aircraft returned for safe landing.
- Aircraft underwent ultrasonic inspection in May with no fault found.
- Ryanair’s chief suggested foreign‑object damage might have triggered the incident.
The investigation has been handed over to the NTSB by Greek authorities and is still ongoing. Whether the engine failed due to previous undetected damage or an external object remains undecided.
For more on the driver’s wife’s account of the emergency, check out this related link: "If we die, we die together" – an ordeal shared by his wife.
