US aviation investigators have confirmed that debris from a failed engine fan blade was responsible for shattering a window on a Ryanair-operated Boeing 737-800, an incident that left a passenger partially pulled outside the aircraft during a flight on 10 July 2026. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report found the fan blade broke away shortly after takeoff from Thessaloniki, sending fragments into the fuselage and cabin window. The aircraft, operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air, returned safely to Thessaloniki International Airport after the crew declared an emergency.
What exactly caused the window to fail?
The NTSB report states that the flight "experienced a No 2 (right) engine fan-blade-out (FBO) failure during climb out from the Thessaloniki international airport (SKG)." Fragments from the broken blade struck the fuselage with enough force to dislodge the window at seat 11F entirely, rather than merely cracking it. Investigators additionally found that engine debris damaged the aircraft's right horizontal stabiliser, a detail not previously disclosed, according to Anadolu Agency.What happened to the passenger?
The passenger, Serbian entrepreneur Ljubisa Karović, was seated by the window in 11F when the depressurisation occurred, and the NTSB said he became "partially lodged" in the opening after the window separated completely from the fuselage, per the same report. He was prevented from being pulled entirely outside the aircraft by nearby passengers, who held onto him until the plane descended. Karović, 61, later said his wife, Svetlana, told him he had fainted multiple times during the ordeal, including after being pulled back inside the cabin.Karović described the aftermath in an interview roughly two weeks after the incident, saying he remembered little beyond a painful head and neck.
"It could have been the seatbelt, the fact that I was still strapped in. But maybe it is fate. I believe in God and I thank him every day," he said.
The NTSB's report also noted that one passenger sustained serious injuries, according to Euronews. Immediately after the incident, Greek authorities said the injured passenger had been taken to AHEPA University General Hospital in Thessaloniki and was not believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries, according to an earlier wire service report.
The incident drew widespread coverage at the time it occurred. Our earlier reporting described how the passenger was nearly sucked out of the shattered window before being saved by his wife and fellow travellers, and how his wife later recounted the ordeal of holding onto him amid the sudden decompression.
How did the flight crew respond in the moments after the failure?
According to the NTSB's timeline, the crew first noticed a "high vibration" warning from the engine during the climb and responded by reducing engine power and running a series of checks. The vibration briefly eased, allowing the pilots to continue climbing on autopilot, but it then intensified sharply and was followed by a loud bang. The pilots donned oxygen masks, declared an emergency and began an immediate descent back toward Thessaloniki, where they completed what the report called an "uneventful landing." Flight attendants told investigators they heard and felt a continuous loud vibration and saw a small amount of fog or smoke before the oxygen masks deployed. separately reported that Ryanair confirmed the window had dislodged and that the aircraft returned to Thessaloniki operating on a single engine.What is known about the engine's maintenance history?
The report found that flight crews had reported four suspected bird strikes to the same right-hand engine over the twelve months preceding the incident, with bird remains — including feathers — recovered from parts of the engine in at least two of those cases, according to the Euronews and Anadolu Agency reports. The fan blades had undergone ultrasonic inspections as recently as May 2026, with no defects recorded at that time. Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration investigator who reviewed the preliminary findings, told the Associated Press that required maintenance appeared to have been carried out on schedule. He said investigators would still need to examine how earlier inspections were conducted and whether previous suspected bird strikes had caused undetected damage."We know what happened and even to some extent why it happened, but there's still unanswered questions that the NTSB will get at," Guzzetti said.
How does this fit into wider concerns about 737 engine safety?
In 2025, the FAA issued three directives requiring airlines to reinforce sections of engine covering on Boeing 737 aircraft, following two earlier fan blade failures that sent debris flying from the engine casing. One of those earlier incidents, involving a Southwest Airlines jet in 2018, caused a fatality after debris struck out a window. Airlines were given until July 2028 to complete the required modifications, and the NTSB's preliminary report confirmed that the Ryanair aircraft involved in the July incident had not yet had those changes made. Guzzetti suggested the latest accident could prompt regulators to reconsider whether that 2028 deadline should be moved forward.The Boeing 737-800 involved was carrying 149 passengers and four cabin crew members at the time of the failure. Boeing and CFM, the manufacturer of the engine, are assisting the NTSB with its ongoing inquiry. Ryanair has said it will not comment further on the preliminary findings, nor on whether Karović and his wife will receive compensation, until a final report is published. The airline's finance chief said last month it remained "way too early" to discuss compensation while the investigation continued.
What happens next?
The NTSB's investigation remains ongoing, according to Euronews, with no final determination of cause yet published. Investigators are expected to focus further attention on how earlier ultrasonic inspections were carried out and on whether previously suspected bird strikes contributed to damage that went undetected before the fan blade failed.Key Facts
- The incident occurred on 10 July 2026 aboard Ryanair-branded flight FR1879, operated by Malta Air, en route from Thessaloniki to Memmingen.
- A right-engine fan blade broke off during climb, and debris shattered the window at seat 11F, which came off the fuselage entirely.
- Passenger Ljubisa Karović, 61, was partially pulled through the opening but was held back by nearby passengers; the NTSB says one passenger suffered serious injuries.
- Four suspected bird strikes to the same engine had been reported in the previous twelve months, with bird remains found in two cases; the fan blades passed ultrasonic inspection in May 2026.
- Required FAA reinforcements to 737 engine coverings, mandated after 2025 directives, had not yet been completed on this aircraft, with airlines given until July 2028 to comply.
