India, July 10 -- A Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany was forced to return shortly after take-off after a passenger window reportedly detached mid-air, nearly sucking a man out of the aircraft before fellow passengers pulled him back to safety.

The incident involved a Serbian tourist travelling from Thessaloniki in Greece to Memmingen in Germany. He was hospitalised with friction burns after the terrifying ordeal.

'His head and shoulders were outside the window'

Passengers said they were jolted awake by a loud bang resembling a tyre bursting, followed by screams from fellow travellers.

She said the cabin rapidly decompressed, oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling and a strong smell filled the aircraft.

"The masks dropped, and the...