Malta Air 737-800 Blade Failure Prompts Emergency Landing

A Ryanair 737-800 operated by Malta Air suffered a right-engine fan-blade failure after takeoff from Thessaloniki on July 10, with engine fragments shattering a cabin window and depressurizing the aircraft. Passenger Ljubiša Karović was partially sucked out before fellow travelers pulled him back inside, sustaining neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns, with his wife and other passengers helping restrain him during the emergency descent. Investigators found bird remains inside the engine and noted multiple fan blades separated or deteriorated, along with references to FAA-directed enhancements on engine brackets as a possible contributing factor. Crewmembers reported high engine vibrations and smoke before oxygen masks deployed, and video and passenger accounts describe oxygen masks and a broken window as the plane descended on autopilot and landed safely. The flight was described as Thessaloniki to Memmingen and operated by Malta Air, and the ongoing NTSB investigation is examining maintenance lapses and FAA-directed enhancements among contributing factors.