Wife of Man Nearly Sucked Out of Ryanair Plane Speaks of Ordeal
Image: BBC News
The wife of a passenger who was nearly sucked out of a Ryanair aircraft after a cabin panel blew open mid-flight has spoken publicly for the first time, describing the moments her husband was left fighting for his life at altitude.
Svetlana Grković told Serbian media that her husband is "seriously injured and in shock" following the incident, which investigators say involved a section of the fuselage giving way during the flight. The couple were traveling together when the panel failed, exposing the cabin to extreme conditions at cruising height.
Witnesses reported a sudden decompression and a violent rush of air as the opening appeared. Fellow passengers and crew rushed to hold the man in place until the aircraft could be brought down safely. Emergency services met the plane on the ground.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the aircraft's maintenance history and the circumstances that allowed a structural panel to fail in flight. Ryanair has said it is cooperating fully with regulators and the carrier operating the route.
Aviation safety experts noted that while cabin depressurisation is a known risk, a physical breach of the fuselage of this kind is rare on modern commercial aircraft and typically triggers intense scrutiny of inspection records.
Grković said her husband remained hospitalized and that the family was focused on his recovery. She thanked fellow travelers and cabin crew who intervened within seconds to keep him from being pulled through the opening.
The incident is likely to prompt a wider review of similar aircraft in service, with regulators expected to seek assurances that required structural checks have been carried out across the operator's fleet.