The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has formally warned Ryanair Group Chief Executive Michael O'Leary against making public statements about the ongoing investigation into the July 10 engine failure and cabin decompression involving a Malta Air-operated Boeing 737-8AS near Thessaloniki, Greece.
In a two-page letter dated July 22, 2026, addressed jointly to Capt. Frank Zammit, Chief Executive Officer of Malta's Bureau of Air Accident Investigation (BAAI), and Michael O'Leary, the NTSB said O'Leary's recent comments during a July 20 earnings call violated international rules governing accident investigations and risked compromising the integrity of the inquiry.
The accident occurred on July 10, 2026, shortly after departure from Thessaloniki, when the aircraft suffered an uncontained failure of its No. 2 engine, followed by a cabin decompression. The crew subsequently carried out an emergency diversion.
A 61-year-old passenger seated next to the shattered window was pulled head-first toward the opening during the decompression but was rescued by fellow passengers. The pilots declared an emergency and landed the aircraft safely back in Thessaloniki.
Since the accident, investigators from the NTSB have been leading the inquiry under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13, acting as the delegated investigating authority. Malta's Bureau of Air Accident Investigation is participating through an accredited representative, while Ryanair has been granted technical adviser status.
The investigation has attracted considerable attention because of the severity of the engine failure and the questions surrounding the aircraft's maintenance history and possible contributing factors.
During Ryanair's July 20 earnings call, O'Leary stated that preliminary findings suggested the accident resulted from foreign object damage (FOD) and argued that the event was unrelated to the aircraft's age or maintenance standards.
Those remarks were widely reported in the media and were interpreted by many as an indication of the likely outcome of the investigation.
However, according to the NTSB's letter, no such determination has been made.
The Board stated that investigators have not ruled out aircraft age or servicing issues as possible contributing factors and emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
The letter reminds Ryanair that, under ICAO Annex 13, Standard 5.26(b), accredited representatives and their advisers:
"shall not divulge information on the progress and findings of the investigation without the express consent of the State conducting the investigation."
The NTSB stressed that only authorized investigators may publicly release verified factual information before publication of the final report.
According to the Board, the restriction applies not only to official statements but also to media interviews, investor calls, and off-the-record discussions.
The NTSB said O'Leary's comments went beyond factual information by expressing opinions regarding the cause of the accident and suggesting investigative conclusions that had not been reached.
The Board wrote that such statements:
For those reasons, the NTSB urged O'Leary to refrain from making any further public statements concerning the investigation while it remains active.
The letter also emphasizes that Ryanair, as a technical adviser participating in the investigation, has an obligation to safeguard investigative information obtained through its involvement.
The Board instructed the airline to take "all reasonable steps" to prevent the release of protected investigative material until authorized by the NTSB.
The correspondence does not identify the cause of the engine failure and reiterates that investigators are still examining all possible factors surrounding the accident.
The final report is expected to determine the sequence of events, identify contributing factors, and, if necessary, issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing similar occurrences.
Until then, the NTSB has made clear that conclusions regarding the cause of the accident remain premature and that participating organizations must comply with the confidentiality requirements established under ICAO Annex 13.
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