Passenger sucked out of plane "up to his shoulders" after window breaks

A passenger on a Ryanair flight was partially sucked out of the aircraft after his seat window came loose during the flight.

The man, who has not been identified, is believed to have been sitting by the window when he was suddenly pulled out, first with his head and then up to shoulder height, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT.

Other passengers managed to hold him down and prevent him from being sucked out, the vehicle reported.

The flight was destined for Memmingen, Germany, but was forced to return to Thessaloniki, Greece, where it had departed this Friday morning (10). The window came loose shortly after takeoff.

The man was treated for shock and other injuries, ERT reported. The remaining passengers were transferred to another flight to continue their journey, according to a statement from Ryanair.

One of the other passengers on board told Radio Thessaloniki: "We were sitting a little further back from where the incident occurred; all we heard was a loud noise and then the oxygen masks fell. The injured passenger was bleeding and initially passed out."

According to flight tracking website AirNav Radar, flight FR1879 took off at 5:57 am local time and landed again on the same runway one hour and 13 minutes later.

The data indicated that the aircraft was an 18-year-old Boeing 737-8AS and that the plane turned around at an altitude of around 4,800 meters.

Ryanair confirmed the incident in a statement to CNN.

"A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning (10 July) returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger's window came loose during the flight. The aircraft landed normally and the passengers returned to the terminal," the text reads.

"A passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki. To minimize any delay, a replacement aircraft was arranged to take the passengers to Memmingen; the flight departed Thessaloniki at 09:53 (local time) this morning", highlights the note.

An investigation has been launched by the Hellenic Air and Railway Safety Investigation Authority, the body that oversees aviation in Greece, according to a statement from Fraport Greece, the company that manages Thessaloniki airport.

"As the operator of Thessaloniki Airport, Fraport Greece is fully collaborating with all relevant stakeholders and has activated established emergency response procedures following the forced return of the aircraft," the company stated.

"Our teams, in close coordination with airport stakeholders and emergency services, have taken all necessary measures to ensure the safe management of the situation," he concluded.

*CNN's Aaron Cooper contributed to this report

Source: CNN