Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said an initial investigation into a midair window incident on one of the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft points to possible foreign object damage, rather than the age or maintenance condition of the plane.
The July 10 incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Thessaloniki, Greece, on a flight to Germany. A piece of engine broke off and smashed a window, causing the aircraft to lose pressure and forcing an emergency landing.
A passenger was partly sucked toward the broken window during the incident. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, while the Federal Aviation Administration has also reviewed video and information linked to the case.
O’Leary said the early indication was that foreign object damage to the engine during takeoff may have caused the incident, but added that Ryanair could not state that definitively yet.
He said the aircraft was 18 years old and that its engine had been fully serviced and overhauled within the past two years.
A draft report on the incident is expected in about 28 days, followed by a more detailed investigation report.
