The National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) in the US is to lead an investigation into the Ryanair incident in which a man was partially sucked out of a broken window over Greece.
On July 16, 2026, the NTSB said that, although the incident occurred in Greek airspace, under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 the country in which the accident occurred can delegate the investigation.
“The Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority elected to delegate the investigation to the NTSB,” the board said. “The NTSB accepted the delegation and is leading the investigation, with Greece participating as the Accredited Representative.”
On July 10, 2026, eyewitnesses saw a Ryanair passenger saved by his seatbelt after an aircraft window shattered midflight, pulling him partly out of the aircraft.
The male passenger was being held by people next to him as his “whole head, neck and shoulders were outside the window”.
An ERT News article noted that it had received information suggesting that the window had broken when it was struck by a piece of the engine.
The Boeing 737-800, registered 9H-QEU, was being flown by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair. The aircraft is powered by two CFM International CFM56 engines.
The 18-year-old Boeing was flying between Thessaloniki International Airport (SKG) and Memmingen Airport (FMM) in Germany when the incident occurred.
