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14 clusters · 551 sources · 64 days · First seen · Last updated

Ryanair window blowout: NTSB finds fatigue and maintenance l

Overview

The technical investigation into the July 10, 2026, window blowout on Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air flight FR1879 has expanded to include specific maintenance deficiencies and metal fatigue. While bird remains were found in the engine, suggesting a possible strike, the NTSB has not concluded that a strike caused the failure. Investigators found that approximately 37 percent of the fractured fan blade’s surface showed signs of “high-amplitude fatigue” caused by repeated stress.

Maintenance deficiencies were also identified, including fan blades that fractured because fasteners lacked recommended enhancers and an overdue mandated enhancement for engine exhaust nozzle brackets. The investigation is also examining the maintenance intervals of the 18-year-old Boeing 737-800 and why an engine component was not self-contained within the engine cowl. Preliminary reports suggest that fragments from a broken fan blade in the right engine struck and shattered the window.

The incident, which occurred at approximately 15,000 to 16,000 feet during a flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, resulted in the partial ejection of 61-year-old Ljubisa Karović. Karović sustained serious physical and psychological injuries, including multiple contusions, facial swelling, severe frostbite, and temporary paralysis on the right side of his body.

Legal representative Vasileios Tsiaras is preparing a multi-million euro lawsuit on behalf of Karović and 35 other passengers. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has disputed claims that the passenger was sucked out of the aircraft. While O’Leary acknowledged the passenger was “certainly sucked towards the window” and “pulled toward the window in very dramatic circumstances,” he maintains that “any part of his body went out through the window” is incorrect, denying that any part of the man’s anatomy actually exited the aircraft. Karović’s wife, Svetlana, has countered this, describing him as being “half in and half out” of the plane.

Entities

Boeing · Ryanair · Ljubisa Karovic · National Transportation Safety Board · Malta Air

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "Passenger Ljubiša Karović was partially sucked out of the aircraft through the shattered window."

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, while other reports state the passenger was partially sucked out of the aircraft.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "The passenger's head and right arm were pulled through the window due to sudden cabin decompression." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +22 more

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, whereas the passenger's lawyer claims his head and arm were pulled through the window.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "Ljubiša Karović, a 61-year-old Serbian passenger, was partially sucked out of a window during the flight."

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, while other reports state the passenger was partially sucked out of a window.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "Passenger Ljubiša Karović was partially sucked out of the aircraft, with his head and shoulder exposed at 11,500 meters." www.moreto.net · www.ng24.ie · slovenskenovice.delo.si

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, while other reports state the passenger's head and shoulder were exposed.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "The passenger's wife described seeing him half in and half out of the aircraft." www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · time.news · www.tanea.gr · bijeljina.com · +4 more

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, while the passenger's wife described him as being half in and half out of the aircraft.

  • "Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft through the broken window." bijeljina.com · www.reader.gr · srpskainfo.com · www.rthess.gr · adevarul.ro · +23 more

    vs

    "Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary denied claims that the passenger was sucked out of the window." www.moreto.net · petel.bg

    Michael O’Leary disputes that any part of the passenger's body went outside the aircraft, while the claim states he denied claims that the passenger was sucked out of the window.

Timeline

  1. 2 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 34 sources
    Ryanair disputes claims of passenger being sucked through broken window

    Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disputes claims that a passenger was partially sucked out of a plane window during a July flight from Greece, despite reports of severe injuries from cabin decompression.

  2. 21 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Ryanair passengers prepare multi-million euro lawsuit after mid-air window failure

    Passengers are pursuing a multi-million euro lawsuit against Ryanair after a Boeing 737 engine failure caused a window to break and cabin decompression during a flight from Greece to Germany.

  3. 24 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 21 sources
    Ryanair passenger lawsuit planned after mid-air window breach

    A lawyer is preparing a multi-million euro lawsuit following a Ryanair flight incident where a passenger was partially sucked out of a window after an engine component failure caused cabin depressurization.

  4. 27 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    NTSB finds metal fatigue caused Ryanair engine failure and window breach

    An NTSB preliminary report indicates metal fatigue and maintenance deficiencies caused an engine failure on a Malta Air flight, which resulted in cabin depressurization and a passenger being partially ejected.

  5. 29 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 114 sources
    Ryanair engine failure causes window to shatter and passenger to be partially sucked out

    An NTSB report reveals that an engine fan blade failure caused a Ryanair flight window to shatter, partially sucking a passenger out mid-flight. Investigators are looking into metal fatigue and potential bird-v

  6. about 2 months ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Ryanair flight suffers window blowout, passenger nearly sucked out at 15,000 ft

    A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffered a window blowout at 15,000 ft, nearly pulling passenger Ljubisa Karovic out; crew and fellow passengers rescued him and the plane returned safely, sparks

  7. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Ryanair Boeing 737 engine failure injures passenger during Greece flight

    A Ryanair Boeing 737 suffered an engine blade failure after take‑off from Greece on 10 July, breaking a window and almost ejecting a passenger. The NTSB, invited by Greece, is investigating possible foreign‑obj

  8. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 8 sources
    Ljubiša Karović survives Ryanair window failure after being partially sucked out

    Ryanair flight FR1879 suffered a mid‑air window blowout at 15,000 ft, partially sucking out Ljubiša Karović; he was rescued by his wife and passengers, suffered burns and a neck brace, and Ryanair replied only

  9. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 36 sources
    Ryanair passenger Ljubisa Karović nearly sucked out of plane window

    A Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany suffered a window rupture, briefly ejecting passenger Ljubisa Karović; he survived with serious injuries and his family plans legal action.

  10. about 2 months ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 45 sources
    Ryanair flight window break sucks passenger out, injuries reported

    A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffered a broken window that partially sucked out passenger Ljubisa Karović, causing serious injuries and prompting a foreign‑object‑damage investigation.

  11. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    Ryanair plane suffers broken window over Greece, passenger nearly ejected

    A Ryanair (Malta Air) 737‑800 suffered a broken window after a right‑engine fragment struck it on a Thessaloniki‑to‑Malta flight; a passenger was nearly ejected but rescued, and the plane returned safely for an

  12. 2 months ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 77 sources
    Ryanair flight window blast leaves passenger hanging; wife pulls him to safety

    A Ryanair flight’s window blew out after a engine part failed, partially ejecting a passenger. His wife and two others pulled him back, averting death. He remains hospitalized; investigations involve Greek, U.S

  13. 2 months ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 42 sources
    Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki returns after window blows out, passenger nearly sucked out

    A Ryanair Boeing 737‑800 from Thessaloniki to Memmingen lost a window, briefly pulling a Serbian passenger outside; the plane returned safely and an international probe has begun.

  14. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 266 sources
    Ryanair flight returns after window breaks and passenger is partially sucked out

    A Ryanair Boeing 737‑800 flying from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffered a window break after an engine fragment hit it, partially sucking out a Serbian passenger; the plane returned safely and investigations by

Sources

072info.com · 100percentfedup.com · 24-ore.com · 24.hu · 24sata.hr · 24ur.com · 360stepeni.mk · 3cat24.cat · 444.hu · 60m.ro · 7news.com.au · a1on.mk · abc7.com · abc7news.com · abendblatt.de · actu.fr · actualidad.rt.com · ad-hoc-news.de · adevarul.ro · adginforma.it · aeiou.pt · aerotime.aero · aestatistica.com.br · affaritaliani.it · ageas.com · agerpres.ro · ahoradigital.net · ainalnaql.com · airportal.hu · airporthaber.com · aksiyon.com.tr · aktienkurs-orderbuch.finanznachrichten.de · aktiv.origo.hu · allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de · amitahmadi.com · amodireito.com.br · amp.theguardian.com · antidepressants.com.au · antiguatribune.com · apach57.fr · apartheidmonitor.palestine-studies.org · arabnews.pk · aradon.ro · argjirolajm.net · arise.tv · armwrestlingworldchampionship.org · ascend.technology · ascendwrestling.com

This summary has been updated 19 times: see revision history