30 Minutes of Hell, Sucked Out of Airplane Cockpit

In 1990, the captain of Flight 5390, Timothy Lancaster, was sucked out of his own plane when the window in the cockpit fell out. The incident occurred during a British Airways flight from Birmingham to Málaga. Due to the sudden drop in pressure, Lancaster was half torn out of the plane and held only by his legs, which were grabbed by the crew.

For 30 minutes, the crew members held the captain while the co-pilot brought the aircraft into emergency descent. Despite the extreme wind and cold at high altitude, as well as the danger to the crew members holding Lancaster, the co-pilot managed to land the plane safely. All passengers and crew survived the incident. Incredibly, Captain Lancaster also survived, although he suffered several injuries.

This event is considered one of the most amazing examples of courage and cooperation in aviation history. The picture shows Captain Lancaster in hospital a few days after the accident. There are no known real photos of this moment, so the image on the right is recreated and not real.