A British couple's holiday was reduced to chaos when their Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany made an emergency landing after a suspected engine failure led to rapid cabin decompression just 10 minutes into the journey. Svetlana Grković described her harrowing experience as she grabbed her husband Ljubisa Karović by his legs and held on for dear life as he was nearly sucked out of the plane.
Ms Grković, recounting the terrifying ordeal, said her husband's "half of his body was sticking out of the plane" before she managed to pull him back inside with the help of two other passengers. Her bravery saved Mr Karović from certain disaster as he lost consciousness three times during the incident.
The technical adviser appointed by the family has suggested that a right engine failure caused debris to strike the window next to Mr Karović, leading to rapid cabin pressure loss. Although this theory has not been confirmed by investigators, tracking data shows the plane dropped 9,000ft (2,700m) in just minutes.
Passengers reported hearing an explosion and described extreme decompression and a struggle to breathe. One passenger told local radio that they thought the plane was going down. The aircraft, operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air, is now at the centre of an international investigation involving several authorities, including the Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority.
Mr Karović remains in hospital in Thessaloniki with serious injuries, including burns and a badly injured hand. His wife stated that he is in shock, unable to communicate, and does not remember the event.
Ryanair has confirmed that their Friday morning flight returned shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged in flight. The airline stated that the aircraft landed normally, but one passenger did request medical assistance.