Ryanair CEO says foreign object may have caused Greece window incident

Key Points:

• Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary indicated that a preliminary investigation into a broken window incident on a Boeing 737 suggests "foreign object damage" to the engine during takeoff from Thessaloniki, though this is not yet definitive.
• The affected aircraft, delivered new to Ryanair in 2008, is 18 years old, with its engine fully serviced and overhauled within the last two years.
• On July 10, a piece of the engine broke off and struck a window, causing cabin depressurization and forcing an emergency landing; a passenger was partly sucked out but was rescued by fellow travelers and hospitalized with injuries.
• Flight data shows the plane climbed past 15,000 feet before descending to 6,000 feet to burn fuel, then returned to Thessaloniki about an hour after departure.
• The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and if external object damage is confirmed, it may limit Boeing's and Ryanair's liability for the incident; a draft report is expected within a month.