Around 50 individuals received medical treatment from emergency responders on Monday following an incident on a Latam Airlines flight destined for Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. The airline described the event as “strong movement” caused by a “technical problem.”
Twelve passengers, with one in serious condition, were transported to three hospitals, as reported by Auckland’s ambulance service. Latam, a Chilean airline, did not provide specific details regarding the technical issue that led to the disturbance.
Brian Jokat, a passenger on Latam Airlines Flight 800, mentioned that the aircraft experienced a sudden “violent drop” for a brief moment. Flight tracking data from Flight Aware indicated an hour-long gap where no information was available.
Mr. Jokat, aged 61, described the experience as similar to a roller coaster drop followed by an immediate recovery.
A sudden jolt woke Mr. Jokat from a nap, and he found the plane in what felt like a free-fall. He witnessed a fellow passenger being thrown against the plane’s ceiling before crashing back down.
He stated that passengers who were not wearing seatbelts were also thrown around due to the turbulence. There were no prior announcements instructing passengers to fasten their seatbelts, as is customary before turbulence.
Upon landing at Auckland International Airport, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was greeted by 14 emergency vehicles, including seven ambulances. Emergency responders treated approximately 50 individuals on site, with one person in serious condition and the rest in varying degrees of minor to moderate condition.
Six individuals were taken to Middlemore Hospital in Auckland, with four more en route, according to a hospital spokesperson. The injuries sustained by the patients included cuts, abrasions, and lacerations, but none were life-threatening.
The onward flight from Auckland to Santiago, the capital of Chile, was canceled by Latam. Passengers bound for Santiago were scheduled to be flown out on the following day.
