Ryanair CEO blames external object after man partially sucked out window

A foreign object was likely to blame for a broken window on an international flight earlier this month that led to a man being partially sucked out of the plane, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary suggested.

What we know:

The foreign object that smashed the window came from a piece of a Boeing 737 engine that broke off the aircraft on July 10 after it took off from Thessaloniki, Greece, on a flight to Germany, according to video footage and the Federal Aviation Administration. The broken window caused the plane to depressurize and forced an emergency landing.

What we don't know:

O’Leary’s comment came during a quarterly call with analysts, Fox Business reported. He noted the description is an initial indication, and the airline cannot ascribe a definitive cause yet. A draft report is expected to come out within a month, O’Leary added, saying that a more detailed one would be released at a later date. 

The backstory:

After the plane lost pressure, a 61-year-old passenger was partially sucked out of the plane before being saved by his wife and others who were on the plane. The man suffered neck and shoulder injuries as well as friction burns in the incident.

Dig deeper:

Data from the flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed the plane climbed to 15,000 feet in about six minutes after taking off and then descended to 6,000 feet, according to Fox Business. The plane stayed at that level for approximately 30 minutes to burn fuel before turning around and heading back to Thessaloniki. 

What's next:

In addition to Ryanair’s own investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board is also looking into the incident. Fox Business stated that, if the damage to the plane was caused by an external object, that factor could reduce the liability for both the airline and Boeing. 

TravelWorld