Today, Michael O'Leary, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ryanair, announced the preliminary cause of a window breaking incident on a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, on 10/7. The incident saw a passenger nearly sucked out of the aircraft.

"Initial indications suggest an engine was damaged by a foreign object during takeoff in Thessaloniki", O'Leary stated.

Passengers on board reported that after takeoff, a loud bang was heard when the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 6.000 m. Following the bang, the window next to Ljubisa Karovic, a 61-year-old Serbian male passenger, burst open.

The Ryanair plane window broken in the 10/7 incident. Photo: Reuters

Karovic's head and shoulders were sucked out the window. However, he was wearing his seatbelt, and his wife held his legs, preventing him from being fully ejected. Other passengers rushed to help pull him back into the cabin. The aircraft then returned to land at Thessaloniki airport, and Karovic was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that debris from the Boeing 737 NG's engine shattered the window shortly after takeoff.

Neil Sorahan, Ryanair's group chief financial officer, said it was "too early" to discuss whether the airline would compensate the Karovic couple, as they are awaiting the investigation results.

CEO O'Leary stated that official information cannot be released yet. A draft report on the incident will be issued in about 28 days, followed by a more detailed report.

Thanh Tam (According to RTE, Guardian, Reuters)