Bird strike likely caused engine failure that nearly sucked passenger from Ryanair flight

On the morning of July 10, a Ryanair Boeing 737 climbing away from Thessaloniki, Greece, encountered something that would turn a routine flight into a survival story. Minutes after takeoff, the aircraft's number two engine failed catastrophically. What followed was a sequence of mechanical failures that exposed a passenger to the open sky at altitude—and a chain of small mercies that kept him alive.

Investigators from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board determined that a bird had struck the engine during the initial climb. The impact fractured one of the engine's fan blades, sending fragments spinning outward with enough force to breach the aircraft's fuselage at multiple points. One of those breaches opened up the cabin window in row 11, and the sudden loss of pressurization created a vacuum powerful enough to begin pulling the passenger seated there out of the plane.

The man, a 61-year-old from Serbia, was partially sucked through the broken window. His seatbelt, the one piece of equipment he was wearing as instructed, caught him. Other passengers nearby reacted instinctively, grabbing him and pulling him back into the cabin as the aircraft descended rapidly toward the airport it had just left. A fellow traveler who happened to be a doctor provided immediate medical care. Another passenger retrieved a metal box from the galley and used it to partially seal the gaping window. The plane landed safely with 149 passengers and six crew members aboard. Only the man in row 11 was seriously injured.

The NTSB's preliminary investigation uncovered details that complicate the picture. Bird remains, including feathers, were found deep inside the failed engine. But investigators cannot yet confirm whether those remains came from the July 10 incident or from an earlier strike. The aircraft had experienced four reported bird strikes in the twelve months before this incident, with bird remains discovered in two of those cases. Samples have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution's Feather Identification Lab for analysis.

The investigation also revealed signs of metal fatigue at the base of the fan blade that fractured, despite recent inspections. Three loose fan blade fragments were recovered from the engine. Data from the flight recorders showed abnormally high vibrations in the number two engine during takeoff compared to the number one engine—a warning sign that may have gone unheeded or unnoticed.

Another detail emerged that raises questions about maintenance standards. The aircraft had not received engine updates that the Federal Aviation Administration has mandated for all U.S. carriers to complete by 2028. Because Ryanair is an Irish airline, it operates under different regulatory oversight and was not required to implement those upgrades. The NTSB noted the discrepancy in its report but did not conclude whether the missing updates would have prevented the failure.

The passenger himself, still recovering from serious injuries to his head and neck, later reflected on his narrow escape. "I don't remember much," he told The Guardian, "but I am still alive. It could have been the seatbelt, the fact that I was still strapped in." He understood, perhaps better than anyone, how close the margin had been.

Greek authorities designated the NTSB as the lead investigator. The board's final report, which will attempt to determine the precise cause and recommend safety measures, is expected within twelve to twenty-four months. Boeing, in a statement, said it continues to support the investigation and remains in contact with Ryanair and its other customers.