A woman has described the moments she fought to keep her husband from being pulled through a damaged airplane window after a Ryanair flight experienced an in-flight emergency over Greece, saying she believed they would face whatever happened together, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The incident occurred about 30 minutes after the early morning flight departed from Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday en route to Memmingen, Germany.
According to Serbian media outlet Nova, Serbian national Ljubiša Karović, 61, was seated near a window when it was shattered after being struck by debris from one of the aircraft’s engines.
‘If we die, we die together’: Wife who held on to her husband’s legs after he was sucked out of Ryanair jet window at 20,000ft describes battle to save him.
Ljubiša Karović, from Serbia, was left hanging outside the aircraft while his desperate wife, Svetlana Grković, clung to… pic.twitter.com/rszfrETLjs [2]
— NYC News 24 ️ (@NYCNews24) July 14, 2026 [3]
His wife, Svetlana Grković, said the sudden loss of cabin pressure pulled her husband toward the opening.
“The pressure pulled Ljubiša; luckily, he was strapped in, but half of his body was sticking out of the plane,” Grković told Nova.
She immediately grabbed onto him in an effort to keep him inside the aircraft.
“I reacted immediately and grabbed his legs. I thought, ‘If we die, we die together.’ It was horrible,” she said.
According to Grković, the rapid loss of cabin pressure caused her husband to lose consciousness multiple times during the emergency.
She said another passenger joined her in holding Karović’s legs as the aircraft turned back toward Thessaloniki.
Grković said her husband suffered significant injuries during the incident.
“His hand is particularly badly injured, and he’s got burns,” she said.
She also explained that Karović has little memory of what happened during the ordeal.
“He’s not able to communicate; he doesn’t remember the whole event.”
Despite his injuries, Grković said she remains grateful that he survived.
“But, it’s important to me that he’s alive.”
Karović, who sells and rents apartments in Greece, was described by his wife as being “seriously injured and in shock” following the emergency landing.
Other passengers also described the frightening events inside the cabin.
According to Greek news outlet Protothema, witnesses said Karović had “blood on his head and kept passing out” while the aircraft was returning to Thessaloniki.
As the emergency unfolded, passengers donned oxygen masks while the crew diverted the aircraft back to its departure airport.
“We were all wearing oxygen masks and didn’t know if we’d make it,” one passenger said.
The aircraft landed safely in Thessaloniki without further incident.
Images and video captured after the landing showed extensive damage to one of the aircraft’s engine nacelles, the protective housing surrounding the engine.
BREAKING: Ryanair passenger reportedly saved from being sucked out the cabin after window fails during a flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen.
According to local media Ryanair flight FR1879, a Boeing 737-8AS, returned safely to Greece on Friday after part of a damaged engine… pic.twitter.com/YPgRodjPFp [4]
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 10, 2026 [5]
Footage also appeared to show one engine blade missing.
Ryanair confirmed the aircraft returned to Thessaloniki after a window became damaged during the flight.
A spokesperson for the airline told The New York Post that the aircraft returned to the airport after a window “dislodged in flight.”
The airline said one passenger received medical assistance after the aircraft landed safely.
According to Ryanair, the remaining passengers were accommodated on a replacement aircraft that departed Thessaloniki later the same morning to continue the trip to Memmingen.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine exactly what caused the engine debris to strike the aircraft and damage the window during flight.
The emergency drew attention after passengers shared accounts of the rapid decompression and the actions taken by Grković and another traveler to prevent Karović from being pulled farther toward the opening as the aircraft descended and returned to Greece.
The investigation remains ongoing.