Boeing 737 window failure on Malta Air flight triggers EU probe
A suspected engine failure on a Boeing 737-800 operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air nearly killed a passenger, drawing multinational regulators into a fresh investigation of US-built aircraft safety in European skies.
A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen experienced a catastrophic cabin window failure on Friday morning, resulting in rapid decompression that nearly pulled a 61-year-old passenger out of the aircraft.
Ljubisa KaroviÄ was partially ejected, with his wife Svetlana GrkoviÄ telling Serbian outlet Nova that "half of his body was sticking out of the plane." She grabbed his legs alongside two other passengers to pull him back inside. "I thought: 'If we die, we die together,'" she said.
The aircraft, an 18-year-old Boeing 737-800, was operated by Malta Air, a subsidiary that manages a large portion of Ryanair's fleet. Tracking data shows the flight abruptly dropped 2,700 metres roughly 10 minutes after takeoff.
A technical adviser for the family believes a right engine failure sent debris through the cabin window. Passengers reported hearing an explosion and struggling to breathe during the extreme decompression. KaroviÄ remains hospitalised with severe hand injuries and burns, unable to communicate.
Ryanair issued a brief statement saying the plane returned to Thessaloniki after a "passenger window dislodged in flight," noting only that one passenger received medical assistance. This starkly contrasts with passenger accounts of a chaotic, near-fatal emergency.
The regulatory fallout is now spreading across multiple jurisdictions. Because the incident occurred in North Macedonian airspace and involved a US-manufactured aircraft, the Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority is being assisted by Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The incident places renewed scrutiny on the ageing Boeing 737-800 fleet forming the backbone of Europe's low-cost travel sector. If investigators confirm engine debris shattered the window, EASA may issue emergency inspection directives for similar aircraft across the continent. Any mandatory maintenance would deal a sharp operational blow to budget carriers.
