Survivor Recalls Explosion Before Being Sucked Out of Window
Ljubisa Karović, a 61-year-old Serbian entrepreneur, clearly remembers the explosion just before he was nearly sucked out of a Ryanair aircraft window at 15,000 feet. The thunderous noise of the shattering window woke him from slumber in seat 11F on flight FR1879 from Greece to Germany. Eleven days later, the memory of the chaos keeps him awake at night. “The explosion is what I remember,” Karović told the Guardian. “It’s the noise before the chaos, the noise that is always there when I close my eyes to sleep.”
Survival Considered a Miracle
Karović suffered burns and bruises on his right arm, armpit, and chest, evidence of his ordeal. He is believed to be the only person to have been sucked out of an aircraft window mid-flight and survived. “I am lucky,” he said. “I don’t remember much and my head and neck still hurt but I am still alive. It could have been the seatbelt, the fact that I was still strapped in. But maybe it is fate. I believe in God and I thank him every day.” His Greek lawyer, Vasilis Tsiaras, described Karović as “being alive by mistake,” adding, “Ljubisa dipped in and out of death. When the cabin lost pressure he was hurled out of the window from his chest up and immediately lost consciousness. He looked at death, that other world, and came back.”
Passengers Rally While Crew Struggles
Passengers on the flight, including Karović’s wife Svetlana, who was seated three rows behind, recall the moment the window smashed, oxygen masks deployed, and fellow passengers grabbed Karović to hold him in place. “I rushed over too. None of the cabin crew helped. It was the passengers,” Svetlana said. “One man, I think he was an Albanian, was incredible. He tried to block the window, first with a bag that was immediately sucked out and then with a suitcase, which worked. We are eternally grateful to him.” The ordeal lasted an estimated 1.5 to 2 minutes. Karović fainted multiple times and his face was briefly deformed due to pressure changes.
Ryanair Defends Crew, Lawyer Disputes
Ryanair defended its staff, stating cabin crew did a “phenomenal job” and attended to Karović as soon as the aircraft descended to a safe altitude, moving him to alternate seats and arranging medical assistance. However, Tsiaras claimed the crew was paralyzed by fear, citing witness testimony. “Everyone has agreed that the crew was in a state of shock, afraid that the plane was about to crash. It was the other passengers who rallied and gave Ljubisa water,” he said. Tsiaras also noted that neither Karović nor his wife received any support from Ryanair, though the company contacted his son.
Recovery and Message to Public
Doctors have ordered Karović to wear a neck brace for at least six weeks, after which surgery may be necessary. He recoils at the thought of flying again. “There are images that come back, the noise of the explosion, the chaos, but I want to recover,” he said. “And, yes, there should be compensation too. Not only emails that have focused on rebooking the flight.” Asked for a message, he smiled and said, “Always make sure to wear your seatbelt. I don’t want anyone to suffer what happened to me.”
