The pilot detected a problem with the engine while the aircraft was flying over North Macedonia and decided to turn back to Thessaloniki after departing at 5.55 am. local time. During the aircraft’s descent, a damaged section of the engine reportedly broke off and struck a cabin window. The impact caused the window to fail, and 61-year-old Serbian passenger Ljubiša Karović was partially pulled out of his seat by the sudden loss of cabin pressure before the situation was brought under control.

His wife Svetlana Grković held onto his legs while fortunately he also had his seatbelt buckled.

A fellow passenger told the outlet Informer: “His wife Svetlana Grković held his legs for five full minutes, until the other passengers ran to help and managed to pull him back into the cabin.”

The captain repeatedly shouted “emergency” after the window smashed with the oxygen masks deployed, witnesses said. The plane was at roughly 20,000ft when passengers heard a loud bang and Mr Karovic is understood to have had his head and shoulders dragged out of the plane.

Others on board have said he was bleeding and lost consciousness several times due to shock and lack of oxygen at that height.

A Ryanair statement read: “A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning (10 July) returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight. The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal.

“One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki. In order to minimise any delay, a replacement aircraft was arranged to bring passengers to Memmingen which departed Thessaloniki at 9:53 local this morning.”