Ryanair CEO denies passenger was sucked out of 737 window

Ryanair ↘ 2.30% chief executive Michael O'Leary on Thursday denied claims that a passenger was partially sucked out of a Boeing The Boeing Company ↘ 0.78% 737-800 after a cabin window shattered during a July flight from Greece, telling reporters at the airline's annual general meeting in Dublin that he intends to dispute the account.paddleyourownkanoo+1

"He wasn't partially out the window," O'Leary said. "We don't think any part of his body got out the window, but he was certainly sucked in very dramatic circumstances towards the window."upday+1

What Happened on July 10

Serbian businessman Ljubisa Karovic, 61, was seated next to window 11F aboard Ryanair flight FR-1879 when the aircraft experienced a fan blade failure in its right CFM International CFM56 engine during climb-out from Thessaloniki, bound for Memmingen, Germany. According to a preliminary report released by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in August, engine fragments breached the fuselage and shattered the cabin window, causing rapid depressurization.cleveland+2

Flight attendants found Karovic "partially lodged" in the window frame, according to the NTSB report. Fellow passengers, including his wife Svetlana, held onto his legs and pulled him back inside, while a flight attendant attempted to block the hole with a metal catering canister. Karovic suffered neck and shoulder injuries as well as friction burns.paddleyourownkanoo+2

His wife told The Guardian that her husband was "half in and half out of the plane." Karovic's lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, has said his client is "alive by mistake."simpleflying

NTSB Pushback and Unanswered Safety Questions

The NTSB had previously warned O'Leary against making public comments about the ongoing investigation, with chairwoman Jennifer Homendy reminding him that doing so violates Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which governs accident investigations. As an accredited representative, Ryanair is barred from releasing information without the investigating authority's permission.independent+1

The NTSB's preliminary report also revealed that the aircraft had not yet received a modification mandated by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive issued in March 2025, designed to prevent broken fan blades from penetrating the engine cowl and striking the fuselage. Airlines have until July 31, 2028, to complete the fix. The engine's fan blades had undergone ultrasonic inspections as recently as May with no findings, and bird remains were found in the damaged engine.paddleyourownkanoo+1

Compensation and Corporate Tensions

O'Leary acknowledged that Karovic is entitled to compensation but dismissed the prospect of a multi-million-pound payout or class action. Ryanair has been in contact with Karovic's lawyer, according to Dublin Live.simpleflying+1

The remarks came on the same day that roughly a third of Ryanair shareholders voted against a pay package for O'Leary worth up to €150 million, a result multiple outlets described as a "revolt."simpleflying