A woman's desperate bid to save her husband from being sucked out of a Ryanair flight has been hailed as heroic after she grabbed his legs in mid-air, preventing him from being fully ejected. Svetlana Grković recounted the harrowing experience, saying she thought 'if we die, we die together' as her husband Ljubisa Karović was partially outside the plane up to his chest for two terrifying minutes.
The incident occurred on Friday during a flight operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany. Engine failure reportedly caused debris to smash the acrylic window just 10 minutes into the journey, prompting the aircraft to suddenly drop 9,000ft (2,700m) in altitude.
Mrs Grković recounted her immediate reaction to grab her husband's legs, who was partially out of the plane headfirst and wearing a seatbelt. With assistance from two other passengers – including one she believes may be Albanian – she managed to pull Mr Karović back inside the cabin, although he lost consciousness three times during the ordeal.
Passengers described extreme decompression, with oxygen masks deploying and a feeling of being unable to breathe. Mr Karović, 61, is currently in a Greek hospital suffering from serious injuries and shock. His wife confirmed he has a badly injured hand, burns, and is unable to communicate or remember the incident.
Ryanair issued a statement confirming that the flight returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window dislodged in flight. The aircraft landed normally and passengers were reaccommodated on a replacement plane, allowing them to complete their journey later that day. An investigation into the incident is now underway by the Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority.