Ryanair’s CEO has slammed the man who said he was sucked out of a plane window as “delusional” as a dispute over the incident continues.
The Irish budget airline continues to contend Ljubisa Karović’s account part of his face was pulled through the window during a rapid depressurisation event.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary described claims that Mr Karović was saved by his wife holding onto him as “delusional”.
Mr Karović’s lawyer said the Serbian businessman was pulled back into the cabin after his head and right arm were sucked through the aircraft window, following the sudden loss of cabin pressure.
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However, the Ryanair boss insisted no part of the passenger’s body left the Boeing 737 during the incident.
Asked about the case, Mr O’Leary said: “He was certainly sucked towards the window, but he didn’t get out the window.
“He wasn’t partially out the window.”
The budget airline boss acknowledged Mr Karović had been pulled towards the window “in very dramatic circumstances” and had sustained injuries.
However, Mr O’Leary maintained the passenger’s seatbelt would have prevented him from being ejected from the aircraft.
He went on to dismiss claims made by Mr Karović’s wife, Svetlana Grković, who said she had helped save her husband.
Mr O’Leary said: “His wife who claims she saved him by hanging onto his feet is certainly somewhat delusional given that she was sitting in a seat three rows behind him.”
Recounting his own experience to The Guardian, Mr Karović said he blacked out after the window beside him blew out mid-flight.
A fellow passenger is understood to have attempted to block the hole using a bag, which was immediately sucked out, before a larger suitcase successfully sealed the gap.
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Ms Grković said she witnessed her husband appearing to be partly inside and outside the aircraft while it was flying at approximately 18,000ft.
She said in July: “The third time he lost consciousness on the plane, I thought I was losing him.
“His heart was beating so violently it looked like it was about to burst through his shirt.
“His abdomen was also making movements I’d never seen before in my life, even though he was unconscious. That happened just before we landed.”
Suffering a serious injury due to the incident, Mr Karović spent several days in hospital, during which he was unable to speak following the ordeal.
Mr O’Leary confirmed Ryanair intends to contest the claims through legal proceedings.
He also took aim at Mr Karović’s legal representation, describing his lawyer as “very excitable” and based in Greece.
The Ryanair boss said the lawyer had been “talking about class action suits and millions and millions and millions”.
He added: “He won’t be getting millions and millions and we don’t believe there’s any basis for any class action suits either, but ambulance chasing lawyers like the sound of their own voices.”
The incident took place aboard Flight 1879, operated by Malta Air.
It remains under investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board, which examines matters involving American-manufactured aircraft.
Greek investigators are also examining the flight, which had departed from Thessaloniki.
Footage from the flight, which was travelling to Memmingen in Germany, showed passengers putting on oxygen masks after they deployed automatically following the loss of cabin pressure.
Several passengers reported hearing a loud bang, similar to a tyre bursting, at the moment the window failed.
Investigators are expected to examine why the engine’s fan blades fractured at their base, with a possible bird strike also under consideration.
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