In a startling turn of events, a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggests that a bird strike might have compromised a Ryanair cabin window, nearly resulting in a passenger being pulled out of the aircraft.
According to the findings, the incident occurred aboard Malta Air Flight 1879, operating a Boeing 737-8AS. The aircraft was ascending beyond 16,000 feet on July 10, having just departed Greece en route to Germany when a fan blade in the right engine broke, as reported by the NTSB.
The dislodged blade inflicted significant damage, shattering a cabin window and leading to a sudden drop in cabin pressure, which added more gravity to the mid-air incident.
In their detailed investigation, officials discovered bird remains, including feathers, scattered within the compromised engine. Noteworthy is the prior history of the aircraft, with its right engine enduring four suspected bird strikes in the year leading up to this event.
While examining the fractured fan blade, investigators observed signs of severe fatigue, noting organic residue transferred onto adjacent blades, raising concerns about the engine’s durability and exposure to bird strikes.
The NTSB, alongside international safety authorities, is continuing its probe to determine whether the bird strike was the sole cause of the catastrophic engine failure.
The report pointed out that the airplane’s engine covers hadn’t been updated with stronger safety bolts required by recent Federal Aviation Administration rules — though the airline wasn’t breaking any laws, as they still have until July 2028 to implement those safety mandates.
Meanwhile, Ljubisa Karović was shockingly almost vacuumed out of the airplane midair through the blown-out window at his seat, 11F.
Fellow passengers heroically held on to Karović, 61, and prevented him from being sucked out of the aircraft.
A Serbian national and entrepreneur, Karović told The Guardian that since his incredible near-death experience, it’s the moments before the “chaos, the catastrophe” that keep him awake at night.
“The explosion is what I remember,” he said. “It’s the noise before the chaos, the noise that is always there when I close my eyes to sleep.
“They tell me I fainted twice and again inside the plane and that my face was briefly swollen and deformed because of the pressure, the rush of air.”
Although the father-of-two suffered serious burns and bruises on his right arm — which span from his armpit to chest — he considers himself lucky to be alive.
“I don’t remember much and my head and neck still hurt,” he told the outlet, “but I am still alive.”
“I am lucky.”