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Passenger Partly Sucked Out After Window Detaches on Malta Air Flight

An international investigation will examine whether component or maintenance failures on the Boeing 737‑800 pose wider safety risks.

Overview

  • A passenger on a Malta Air (Ryanair group) flight was pulled partly outside the fuselage after a cabin window detached during takeoff; the incident occurred on July 10 and the plane returned to Thessaloniki for an emergency landing.
  • The man’s wife and other passengers held his legs and pulled him back into the cabin while oxygen masks deployed and the crew carried out an emergency descent of about 2,700 meters.
  • The 61‑year‑old victim, identified as Ljubisa Karović, remains hospitalized with serious injuries including burns and hand trauma and is suffering psychological shock.
  • Greek investigators have opened a probe with participation from the FAA, EASA and Boeing, and the family’s hired technical adviser has proposed an unconfirmed theory that engine debris struck the window.
  • Authorities will review the aircraft’s maintenance and component records for the roughly 18‑year‑old Boeing 737‑800, and regulators’ findings could prompt inspections or safety guidance for similar planes.