A passenger aboard a Ryanair flight experienced a horrifying incident where he was nearly pulled out of the plane due to a broken window shortly after takeoff. His account of the experience, which left him “half in and out of the plane,” is chilling.
On July 10, 61-year-old Ljubisa Karovic was traveling from Greece to Germany when the window blew out at his seat on the 11th floor. He recalled the chaotic moments leading up to it—”the explosion,” he called it. Strange how clear memories can get foggy, right? He mentioned feeling like he was flying in and out of consciousness—twice, in fact, due to the intense pressure and rush of air.
Karovic, a Serbian entrepreneur, had been on his way to celebrate his brother’s birthday. His wife, Svetlana, was seated just a few rows back. It’s hard to imagine her panic as she watched her husband being pulled toward the open window.
He suffered burns and bruising on his right arm and chest but felt fortunate to be alive. “I’m lucky,” he stated, though it’s clear the situation took a toll—his head and neck still ache. Doctors indicated his recovery would be slow; he’ll need to wear a neck brace for the next six weeks, at which point they’ll assess if surgery is necessary. “Maybe I was strapped in; maybe it was fate,” he pondered.
Svetlana ran to her husband as he hung at the edge of the plane, a remarkable sight to witness for such a long duration. According to her, flight attendants were occupied helping other passengers. There was a passenger—a man she believed was Albanian—who attempted to assist Karovic, using a suitcase as a makeshift barrier to cover the blown window.
Ryanair has defended its cabin crew’s actions during the crisis, asserting they did an “extraordinary job.” However, Karovic’s lawyer, Vasilis Tsialas, argued that the staff seemed more in shock than providing aid. He praised the pilots’ response but criticized the crew’s lack of support for those in distress.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has initiated an investigation into the frightening incident, working alongside Greek authorities. Eyewitnesses suggested a state of panic among the crew at the moment of decompression, with passengers stepping up to help one another.
The chaotic imagery of the experience still lingers for Karovic, who emphasizes the need for more than just flight rebookings as a form of support. His recovery process seems daunting, much like the uncertainty surrounding the future of this incident.
“We want to recover,” he expressed, hinting at the necessity for compensation amidst the painful memories.
