Bird remains were discovered in the engine of a Ryanair Boeing 737 NG aircraft involved in a serious incident on July 10, 2026, when a passenger was partially sucked through a broken window shortly after takeoff from Greece, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported on August 13, 2026.

The NTSB is investigating the event in which a piece of the plane's engine detached and shattered the window. The aircraft, en route to Germany, lost cabin pressure and was forced to make an emergency landing.

According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the plane's No. 2 engine had experienced four suspected bird strikes in the 12 months prior to the accident, as reported by flight crew. Bird remains were reportedly found in two of those cases, although no damage was detected during maintenance checks.

The engine involved, a CFM model produced by a joint venture between France’s Safran and US-based General Electric, had undergone inspection in May 2026 with no issues found.

The investigation continues as authorities seek to determine the full cause of the incident.

Sources