'If we die, we die together': Wife describes holding husband’s legs after he was sucked out of Ryanair plane window

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Ljubiša Karović, from Serbia was left with his head hanging outside the plane while his wife Svetlana Grković clung to his feet.

It is believed that part of the plane’s engine broke away, smashing the window and leaving a hole in the side of the aircraft at 20,000 feet.

The Boeing 737-800 flight FR1879 travelling from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, was forced to turn back to its departure airport after the drama unfolded onboard.

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Mr Karović - who was sitting next to the window - was sucked through the opening, placing him within inches of death.

But his wife grabbed his legs and hung on for dear life for about five minutes before other passengers managed to come to their aid.

She told Nova: "It was as if a piece of the engine had broken off and struck the window next to where my husband, Ljubiša, was sitting.

"Fortunately, he was wearing his seatbelt. When the window shattered, cabin decompression occurred.

"The pressure pulled Ljubiša—luckily he was strapped in—but half his body was hanging out of the plane. I reacted immediately and grabbed him by the legs.

"I thought to myself: 'If we die, we die together.' It was terrifying."

“Some people came to my aid, I remember one man and one woman. That man helped me a lot, Ljubiša and I.”

Mr Karović remains in hospital and is believed to be unable to speak due to his injuries. He also has friction burns and is in a state of severe shock.

A witness told the German Press Agency (dpa) that a window smashed, and a man was pulled out of the gap when the cabin suddenly depressurised.

According to German news outlet BILD, he was ‘sucked’ through the window.

A passenger told BILD: "The window shattered. Then the oxygen masks deployed."

The pilot is understood to have shouted “emergency” over the tannoy and passengers put on Oxygen masks.

“His head and shoulders were sticking out of the broken window,” an eyewitness told Greek broadcaster ERT. 

A Ryanair spokesperson said: “A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning (July 10) returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight.

“The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal. 

“One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki. 

“In order to minimise any delay, a replacement aircraft was arranged to bring passengers to Memmingen which departed Thessaloniki at 9.53am local this morning.”