A sudden plunge of LATAM’s Boeing 787 plane traveling from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday, left at least 50 passengers injured. According to reports, passengers experienced a harrowing ordeal as the plane unexpectedly dropped, causing individuals to be thrown from their seats and some to collide with the aircraft’s ceiling. Brian Jokat, a passenger on the flight told Associated Press that people were tossed around the cabin, which resulted in injuries and also damaged the plane’s interior. He also said there was blood coming out of the heads of many people.
LATAM Airlines, the operator of the Boeing flight, stated that there was a technical event where there was a major shake-up post which the plane dropped mid-air. The cause is currently under investigation.
Emergency services met the aircraft upon landing in Auckland, where injured passengers received medical attention. Despite the severity of the incident, the majority of injuries were reported as mild, with only a few requiring further medical treatment. The airline expressed regret over the situation and emphasized its commitment to passenger safety.
Around 50 people received treatment for minor injuries on-site, while 13 were admitted to a hospital, according to a spokesperson for the ambulance service. LATAM Airlines reported that the majority of these 13 individuals were promptly discharged, with only one passenger and one cabin crew member requiring further attention, though their conditions were not life-threatening. Passengers recounted that several individuals were not wearing seatbelts when flight LA800 experienced a sudden drop. “If you were in your seat, you went straight up to the ceiling and bounced off the roof. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who was strapped in for that incident,” the passenger shared with ABC.
The reason behind the abrupt alteration in the flight’s path also remains unexplained at this moment. Chile’s DGAC aviation authority announced that it would spearhead the investigation. LATAM is based in Chile and the flight was carrying 263 passengers and nine crew members. It was scheduled to proceed to Santiago following its Auckland layover. New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission on Tuesday said that it had taken possession of the flight’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.
(With Agency Inputs)