50 Injured on LATAM Flight From Sydney to Auckland After Technical Issue

At least 50 people were injured onboard a flight from Sydney (SYD) to Auckland (AKL) operated by Chilean airline LATAM. The incident was caused by a technical issue that resulted in the aircraft suddenly losing altitude. 

The Incident

LATAM Airlines flight LA800, operating with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed from SYD and landed at AKL at 4:26 p.m. local time among their schedule on Monday afternoon. The Santiago (SCL) flight layover is at Auckland Airport.

As reported by the New Zealand Herald, a technical issue caused the "strong movement" of the aircraft, and this occasion led to a sudden loss of altitude. Because of the impact, some passengers on board were "thrown into the roof" of the plane. Approximately 50 people were treated for their injuries after they arrived in Auckland. One of the people in need of medical assistance was in a serious condition, according to the report provided by Hato Hone St John Ambulance to CNN. In total, 12 patients were sent to the hospital.

A statement by LATAM Airlines mentioned that the passengers and the cabin crew who were affected by the incident "received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated by medical staff at the airport as needed," the statement added the reasoning for the incident by highlighting that "Flight LA800, operating the Sydney-Auckland route today, had a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement," The report did not detail on the technical issue.

As reported, the incident occurred mid-flight, with almost an hour left on the journey. The people on board detailed the outcome of the incident to the news outlets by mentioning "people were flying around" and "people broke the ceiling of the plane." They also stated that many passengers did not have their seatbelts on since it was mid-flight. 

According to the passenger report shared on RNZ, one of the passengers, Brian Jokat, stated that the plane "just dropped" and "There was no pre-turbulence, we were just sailing smoothly the whole way." He also mentioned that one of the passengers, two seats away from him, flew up and hit the ceiling. He described the experience as follows: "I thought I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and he was on the roof of the plane on his back, looking down on me, It was like The Exorcist." The man in question then fell back to the floor, breaking the ribs on his armrest, Brian underlined.

LATAM reported to news outlets about the incident:

"LATAM regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards."

The cause of the incident has yet to be defined, and neither LATAM nor Boeing has commented on the reason. The flight has been rescheduled, and instead of continuing the operation on Monday, it will take place on Tuesday night. It is uncertain if the same aircraft will be utilized for the flight.

A civil aviation spokesperson stated that the authority was aware of the incident and reported:

"The immediate response was handled by Auckland Airport alongside emergency services. The incident has not yet been formally reported to CAA, though we would expect this in the coming days in accordance with CAA rules."