A preliminary investigation has confirmed that Malta Air-operated Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS suffered an uncontained right-engine fan blade-out failure shortly after departing Thessaloniki International Airport, Greece, on a scheduled flight to Memmingen, Germany.
According to NTSB report released on 13 August 2026, fragments from the No. 2 engine penetrated the fuselage, resulting in cabin depressurisation. The flight crew elected to return to Thessaloniki, where the aircraft landed without further incident.
The aircraft, registered 9H-QEU and operating as Ryanair Flight 1879, was carrying 149 passengers, including one lap child, along with two pilots and four cabin crew. One passenger sustained serious injuries after a cabin window was damaged during the event.
The investigation was initially launched by Greece's Hellenic Air and Railway Safety Investigation Authority (HARSIA), which subsequently delegated responsibility to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Parties supporting the investigation include the FAA, Boeing and GE Aerospace, while representatives from Greece, Malta, France, EASA, Malta Air and Safran Aircraft Engines are also participating under ICAO Annex 13 provisions.
The investigation remains ongoing and the information released to date is preliminary and subject to change.
