Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki returns after window blows out, passenger nearly sucked out

A Ryanair‑operated Boeing 737‑800 (flight FR1879) departed Thessaloniki for Memmingen on 10 July 2026 when, a few minutes after take‑off, a cabin window detached. The break is attributed to debris from a failing right‑hand engine striking the pane, causing rapid decompression. A 61‑year‑old Serbian passenger was partially pulled out of the aircraft; his wife, fellow travellers and crew held him for about five minutes until he was pulled back inside. Oxygen masks deployed automatically and the pilots turned the aircraft back, landing safely at Thessaloniki Airport. The passenger was taken to AHEPA Hospital with shock, friction burns and neck‑shoulder injuries. Ryanair cancelled the flight, provided a replacement aircraft for the remaining passengers and issued a statement confirming the incident. An investigation is being led by North Macedonia’s civil aviation authority, with participation from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Greek accident investigation agency, France’s BEA and the ICAO, to determine whether the window failure was caused by a mechanical defect or other factors.