A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Munich was forced to return to the Greek city shortly after takeoff on Friday after a window shattered in mid-air, injuring a passenger and causing panic among those on board.
According to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT, citing eyewitnesses, passengers heard a loud bang just minutes after the aircraft departed from Thessaloniki Airport. A window then broke, injuring the 60-year-old passenger seated beside it.
Witnesses said the force of the incident caused the man to be pulled partially toward the opening before nearby passengers managed to hold him inside the aircraft.
The sudden emergency triggered the deployment of oxygen masks, with passengers reportedly screaming as they put them on.
Despite the frightening situation, passengers said the pilot remained calm, reassured those on board and safely turned the aircraft back to Thessaloniki Airport.
The injured passenger was taken to hospital suffering from shock and a neck injury. According to the available information, he did not sustain more serious injuries.
Initial reports suggest that a piece of the aircraft’s engine may have broken off, striking and shattering the window. The exact circumstances of the incident have not yet been confirmed.
