A Ryanair airplane experienced a frightening incident in Greece as broken engine components led to a passenger’s head being pulled out of a shattered window before being rescued by fellow travelers, as per U.S. investigators’ findings disclosed on Thursday.
The mishap occurred on July 10, shortly after the plane departed from Thessaloniki, when a fan blade in the Boeing 737-800’s right engine broke, causing fragments to damage the window and fuselage. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a preliminary investigation after Greece handed over the case based on international aviation protocols.
Investigators discovered bird remnants inside the engine, hinting that the aircraft might have collided with birds during takeoff, though the specific cause of the fan blade detachment remains undetermined.
The 61-year-old passenger involved suffered neck and shoulder injuries along with friction burns when his head got caught in the window. Flight attendants reported hearing loud vibrations and observing smoke or mist filling the cabin, prompting the release of emergency oxygen masks.
Passengers rallied to assist the injured individual, relocating him to another seat for medical attention, while using a metal box to block the damaged window until the aircraft landed safely.
Maintenance records revealed that the failed fan blades had passed ultrasonic inspections in the preceding months without any identified damage. However, the NTSB noted that multiple suspected bird strikes had been reported on the same engine over the past year, with bird remnants discovered after two incidents.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary faced criticism from the NTSB for prematurely attributing the incident to foreign object damage rather than considering other factors like the aircraft’s age or maintenance history.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued directives in the previous year mandating enhancements to engine coverings on Boeing 737s after prior fan blade failures led to safety hazards. The required modifications, which airlines were granted until July 2028 to complete, had not been implemented on the Ryanair plane at the time of the incident.
The FAA refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigation, emphasizing collaboration with the NTSB to ensure necessary safety measures are taken in response to the findings. The incident involved a 737-800 plane capable of accommodating up to 189 passengers, operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary.
Ryanair and the engine manufacturer, CFM International, pledged cooperation with the investigation, while industry experts anticipate potential adjustments to regulatory deadlines following the recent incident.