A Ryanair plane's mid-air disaster unfolded over Greece yesterday morning when a window shattered, partially sucking passenger Ljubisa Karović out of his seat. The 61-year-old Serbian entrepreneur was left with severe burns and bruises on his right arm and chest after the incident at 15,000ft.
Mr Karović's lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, said his client was propelled out of the window from his chest upwards, losing consciousness while the aircraft travelled at over 600km/h. The terrifying moment an 'explosion' shattered the window next to Mr Karović's seat was witnessed by his wife Svetlana, who was seated three rows behind him in 14C.
Svetlana described oxygen masks deploying and objects flying through the cabin as fellow passengers rushed to assist her husband. An unnamed passenger, believed to be Albanian, is credited with attempting to block the gaping hole first with a lost bag, then successfully with a suitcase during the estimated 90-second-to-two-minute ordeal.
Ryanair has defended its staff's actions, stating that cabin crew performed a 'phenomenal job', but Mr Karović's lawyer disputes this. He claims neither Ljubisa nor Svetlana have received direct contact, assistance or support from the airline since the incident. Investigations into the cause of the window shattering are ongoing and will be crucial in understanding potential safety implications for the aviation industry.