Investigation update after man 'sucked out' of broken window on Ryanair plane
An investigation into the case of a man who was 'sucked out' of a broken window on a flight operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air has had an update from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Serbian national Ljubiša Karović had been on a Malta Air flight from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany on 10 July when he was partially pulled through a broken plane window.
Fortunately his wife Svetlana was able to grab his legs and stop him from being fully sucked out of the plane cabin, holding him in place as the plane returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off.
During a recent earnings call Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary suggested that 'foreign object damage' might have been the cause of the incident, saying the 18-year-old aircraft had been fully serviced and overhauled within the past couple of years.
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He said: "Initial indication would suggest it looks like a foreign object damage to the engine on take-off at Thessaloniki, but we don't have, we can't say that definitively."
Indeed it is correct that he can't say that definitively, or as far as the NTSB are concerned he can't say that at all, as they've issued their own letter in response reminding O'Leary that he's not allowed to release information from their investigation without their permission.
The NTSB also said that they're still investigating the matter and have made no verdict on the possible cause.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy wrote: "The NTSB has not made any such determination, and our investigators have not yet ruled out age or servicing issues as contributing to this event."
Basically, the Ryanair boss is not supposed to be sharing possible information about what happened, and shouldn't be suggesting that possible information is the 'initial indication' of the investigation.
As such, the NTSB has said they 'urge Mr O'Leary to refrain from further public statements regarding the investigation while it's ongoing', which is the polite way of telling him to keep shtum.
Svetlana told Serbian-language outlet Nova that when half her husband's body was 'sticking out of the plane' she grabbed onto him with one thought.
“I immediately reacted and grabbed his legs. I thought: 'If we die, we die together'. It was horrible," she recounted.
Two passengers helped her pull Ljubiša back into the plane and he lost consciousness several times, with him saying he doesn't remember much of what happened.
He said: "Only for one moment was I conscious and I cannot remember the rest.
“I had blood all over me, blood was dripping from my face and my hands.
“As soon as I close my eyes, images appear of the nightmare I experienced.
“I am not even contemplating getting another flight. Every time I hear an aeroplane, I get stress and a fever.
“Mentally I have hit rock bottom. It has an effect on both my work and family. It is a complete upheaval in my life.”
Told to wear a neck brace for six weeks, the right side of Ljubiša's body was also temporarily paralysed while he also suffered injuries to his right ear and right eye, as well as burns on his back and his right hand.
Joe Harker