Miracle Rescue: Wife Saves Husband From Ryanair Incident

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:47:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

During a flight to Germany, a woman pulled her husband from being pulled out of a cabin window, saving him from a likely fatal decompression event.

A man on a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen was nearly sucked out head‑first as a cabin window broke and cabin pressure rapidly dropped. Wife Svetlana Grković, aided by two passengers, pulled him back inside, preventing a death that could have involved both. The incident, involving jet engine debris striking the window, is still under investigation by Finnish, US and European aviation authorities.

A woman who held the legs of her husband as he was nearly sucked head‑first out of a Ryanair cabin window on Friday said, "Half of his body was sticking out of the plane."

Svetlana Grković, traveling with her husband Ljubisa Karović from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, told Greek broadcaster ERT that his head was outside the cabin for two minutes. She said, "I immediately reacted and grabbed his legs. I thought: If we die, we die together."

With the help of two other passengers, Grković pulled her husband—who she said lost consciousness three times—back inside. She described the incident as a partial engine failure that struck and shattered the cabin window, causing rapid decompression.

Passengers heard what sounded like an explosion, and described the sudden decrease in pressure as intense as if the plane were going to crash. The Ryanair flight was in the air for about 10 minutes before dropping 9,000 feet (2,700 m).

Ryanair issued a statement that its flight from Thessaloniki returned shortly after take‑off when a window dislodged, landing normally and allowing passengers to exit safely. One passenger received medical assistance on the ground.

The 61‑year‑old husband remains hospitalized, with his hand badly injured and suffering burns. He cannot fully recall the event.

Investigations are underway by Hellenic authorities, with international aviation bodies such as the FAA, EASA, and Boeing involved. The aircraft was an older Boeing 737‑800 operated by Ryanair’s subsidiary Malta Air.

Passengers recalled screams and extreme lack of oxygen; many believed the plane was going down. Interviews with passengers Christina and Sofia highlighted the shock and confusion during the incident.

Additional reporting was provided by Nikos Papanikolaou.