- Ljubisa Karovic was partially sucked out of a Ryanair window during a flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on July 10.
- He suffered friction burns, spinal and shoulder injuries, and was saved by his wife who grabbed his legs.
- Karovic described being haunted by the noise of the window shattering, stating he is mentally destroyed and faces months of recovery.
- Ryanair has defended its staff's performance, stating they did a phenomenal job during the incident.
- The incident occurred when a foreign object hit the plane's engine, causing a fan blade to snap off and hit the window, leading to a depressurisation event.
- Witness testimony suggests that cabin crew were paralysed by fear during the emergency.
- Doctors have indicated that Karovic's recovery will take months and he may still need surgery.
Ljubisa Karovic, a 61-year-old Serbian entrepreneur, was nearly sucked out of a Ryanair flight window after an explosion caused by a foreign object hitting the engine. He recalls the thunderous noise of the window shattering, which woke him from sleep and left him with serious injuries.14567
Karovic described the moment as traumatic, stating, “The explosion is what I remember,” and added that he is “mentally destroyed” by the experience. He suffers from friction burns and serious injuries to his spine and shoulder, with doctors indicating that his recovery could take months and may require surgery.239
His wife, Grkovic, who was seated a few rows behind him, rushed to help, stating, “I rushed over too. None of the cabin crew helped. It was the passengers.” This sentiment was echoed by their lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, who claimed the cabin crew were “paralysed by fear” during the incident.8
Ryanair defended its staff, asserting they performed a “phenomenal job” in assisting Karovic after the aircraft descended to a safe altitude. However, the airline acknowledged that a “foreign object” had struck the engine, leading to the depressurisation event that caused the window to dislodge.
Karovic's ordeal has left him haunted by the memory of the explosion, stating, “Whenever I hear the sound of a plane, I become stressed.” He is now advocating for compensation for the trauma he has endured.
“His lawyer called him 'alive by mistake' after he was saved by his wife grabbing his legs and fellow passengers plugging the hole with a suitcase. Ryanair disputes claims cabin crew froze, insisting they did a 'phenomenal job' during the depressurisation.”
The Guardian
The Times
