Man Nearly Sucked Out of Ryanair Plane Says He Is Too Traumatised To Fly Again

A Serbian businessman who was partially sucked out of a Ryanair aircraft after a window shattered mid-flight says the terrifying ordeal has left him too traumatised to ever fly again.

Ljubisa Karović, 61, was travelling on Ryanair flight FR1879 from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, on 10 July when an apparent engine-related failure caused debris to smash the window beside his seat. The incident triggered rapid cabin decompression at approximately 15,000 feet, partially pulling Karović out of the aircraft before fellow passengers managed to drag him back inside.

Now recovering in Greece, Karović says the psychological impact has been even more severe than his physical injuries, describing recurring memories of the moment the aircraft erupted into chaos.

'The Explosion Is What I Remember'

Speaking about the incident, Karović said the sound of the explosion remains the most vivid memory from the flight.

He recalled being knocked unconscious after the window shattered and cabin pressure suddenly dropped. According to reports, his head and right arm were pulled outside the aircraft into winds exceeding 600 kilometres per hour while the plane continued flying.

Doctors later diagnosed him with neck and shoulder injuries, burns and other trauma-related complications. He continues to wear a neck brace and faces a lengthy recovery process.

Karović said the experience has left him struggling with anxiety and flashbacks, adding that he currently cannot imagine boarding another aircraft.

Wife and Passengers Helped Save His Life

Karović's wife, Svetlana Grković, was seated several rows behind when the emergency unfolded.

She rushed forward after hearing the explosion and grabbed her husband's legs as he was being pulled through the shattered window. Other passengers joined the effort, helping pull him back into the cabin and attempting to block the opening with luggage after smaller objects were sucked out of the aircraft.

Grković later said she believed they might die together during the incident but refused to let go. Fellow passengers have also been credited with helping stabilise the situation until the aircraft descended to a safer altitude.

Questions Remain Over Crew Response

The incident has also sparked disagreement over how the emergency was handled.

Karović, his wife and his lawyer have claimed that fellow passengers played the primary role in saving his life, alleging cabin crew was initially unable to assist during the most critical moments. Ryanair disputes those claims and says crew members followed established emergency procedures throughout the depressurisation event before providing assistance once conditions allowed.

The airline has maintained that safety protocols were followed and that medical support was arranged after the aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki.

Investigation Continues

The aircraft successfully returned to Thessaloniki around an hour after departure, allowing emergency services to treat injured passengers. Investigators are examining whether engine damage caused debris to strike the window, although the exact cause remains under review.

For Karović, however, the focus is no longer on how the incident happened but on recovering from it. Nearly two weeks after surviving one of aviation's rarest accidents, he says he remains grateful to be alive while accepting that his relationship with flying may never recover.