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Ryanair CEO Disputes Passenger Sucked Out Window
10 Sep
Summary
- Ryanair disputes claims a passenger was sucked partially out of a plane window.
- A window shattered mid-flight on a Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany.
- An unknown passenger is credited with helping to pull the injured man back inside.
Ryanair is contesting claims that a passenger was pulled outside the aircraft when a window broke during a flight. US investigators are examining the incident involving Ljubisa Karović, 61, who was severely injured on a flight from Greece to Germany in July. His lawyer stated Karović's head and arm were sucked through the shattered window due to sudden depressurisation, but he was pulled back inside.
However, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary stated that while the passenger was "sucked towards the window," he did not exit it. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the accident investigation, involving Boeing, GE, and Ryanair. O'Leary emphasized that the passenger was "belted into the seat" and that the airline will dispute any claims of body parts being outside the window.
Karović recounted that his seatbelt likely kept him in the plane as he blacked out. His wife reported that an unknown passenger played a vital role in his rescue, attempting to block the window with a bag and then a suitcase after the initial attempt to pull Karović back in.
Separately, O'Leary also disputed Nats' account of a recent air traffic control system failure that disrupted numerous flights, accusing Nats' boss of "telling lies." He also controversially referred to competitors as "high-fare rapists."
