Key facts
- Ryanair will dispute claims that a passenger was sucked out of a broken window on a flight.
- The passenger, Ljubisa Karović, was severely injured when a window shattered on a flight from Greece to Germany.
- Karović's lawyer said he was pulled back into the plane after his head and arm were sucked through the window due to depressurization.
- Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary stated the passenger was "certainly sucked towards the window, but he didn’t get out the window."
- The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.
- Ryanair shareholders approved CEO Michael O'Leary's pay package, potentially worth €150 million.
Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said the airline will dispute claims that a passenger was sucked out of a broken window on one of its aircraft. The incident occurred on a flight from Greece to Germany in July, leaving passenger Ljubisa Karović, 61, severely injured.
Karović's lawyer stated that the Serbian businessman was hauled back into the plane after his head and right arm were sucked through the window due to sudden depressurization. However, O'Leary told reporters that while Karović was "certainly sucked towards the window, but he didn’t get out the window," the airline would dispute that any part of his body exited the aircraft.
O'Leary added that the passenger had been "belted into the seat" and that the airline would await the outcome of the investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB is leading the accident investigation, which involves Boeing and GE.
In a separate matter, Ryanair shareholders approved O'Leary's pay deal, which could be worth up to €150 million if profit and share price targets are met. O'Leary also continued to dispute the account of air traffic control provider Nats regarding a recent system failure that disrupted flights, accusing Nats boss Martin Rolfe of "telling lies to save his own skin."