Ryanair passenger shares horror after being ‘sucked through window’ – ‘Blood all over me’ | World | News
Half of the body of 61-year-old Ljubiša Karović was dragged out of the plane in the air (Image: Facebook)
A traumatized passenger who was nearly thrown from a Ryanair plane after a mid-air explosion shattered his window has finally broken his silence, revealed his ongoing nightmare and admitted the heartbreaking ordeal had left him at “rock bottom”. Ljubiša Karović, 61, was traveling on a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air, when the disaster struck at an altitude of thousands of metres.
The Serbian national had fallen asleep when he was suddenly jolted awake by a deafening “bomb-like explosion”. A few seconds later, the acrylic window next to it broke loose, causing a violent and explosive decompression. Recalling the horrific moments that followed, Mr Karović explained that he was covered in his own blood as half his body was dragged out of the plane. “I was covered in blood, blood was dripping from my face and hands,” he said. “I was only conscious for a moment and I can’t remember the rest.”
Half of Ljubiša Karović’s body was dragged from the plane while her husband and other passengers hugged her legs (Image:-)
When the cabin pressure dropped and the oxygen masks dropped, Mr. Karović’s head and upper body were forced through the open frame into freezing conditions. His wife, Svetlana Grković, immediately took action to save his life and held on to his legs until other passengers came to help.
Ms Grković told the Serbian newspaper Nova: “I reacted immediately and grabbed her legs. I thought: ‘If we die, we die together.’ “It was terrible.”
It took the heroic efforts of Svetlana and two other pilots to drag Mr. Karović back into the cabin. Eyewitnesses reported that he fainted multiple times from shock and severe lack of oxygen during the terrifying five-minute rescue.
Although Mrs. Grković initially explained that her husband was “unable to communicate” in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Mr. Karović has now recovered enough to share his side of the nightmare with German broadcaster Bild.
Mr Karović said he had no plans to get on a plane again (Image: Facebook)
While the Boeing 737-800 was forced to make a rapid emergency landing and return to Thessaloniki, Mr. Karović suffered serious physical and psychological injuries. He wore a neck brace for six weeks and suffered temporary paralysis on the right side of his body. He also suffered painful friction burns on his back and hands, as well as damage to his right ear and eye.
Although he survived, Mr. Karović admitted that he suffered serious mental injuries: “Mentally, I hit rock bottom,” he admitted. “When I close my eyes, images of the nightmare I experienced appear.
“I don’t even think about getting on another plane. Every time I hear the sound of planes, I get stressed and get fever. There is a complete change in my life.”
But he added: “My head and neck still hurt, but I’m still alive… I believe in God and thank Him every day.”
Initial reports indicate that a piece of debris from one of the plane’s engines hit the window. (Image: Getty)
Initial reports indicate that a fragment from one of the plane’s engines struck the passenger window shortly after takeoff.
Addressing investors, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary confirmed: “Initial indication is that this appears to have been damage to the engine from a foreign object on takeoff from Thessaloniki, but we cannot say for sure.”
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched a comprehensive investigation into the mechanical failure.
In an official statement, Ryanair confirmed the plane returned safely to Thessaloniki after the incident, adding that passengers were transferred to a new aircraft and one person received emergency medical treatment on the ground.
