At least 50 individuals sustained injuries, primarily minor, on Monday following an incident reported by LATAM Airlines during a flight from Sydney to Auckland. According to LATAM Airlines, a “technical problem” resulted in a “strong movement” aboard flight LA800, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which landed at Auckland Airport as per its regular schedule on Monday afternoon, as reported by FlightAware.
Typically, the flight makes a stop in Auckland en route to Santiago, Chile. A spokesperson for the South American carrier informed the New Zealand Herald of the technical issue that affected both crew members and passengers, though specific details were not provided.
Emergency services from Hato Hone St John ambulance attended to approximately 50 individuals at the airport, as confirmed by a spokesperson to Reuters. Among the injured, one individual is in a serious condition, while the rest sustained mild to moderate injuries.
A passenger quoted by the NZ Herald described experiencing a “quick little drop” during the flight, shedding light on the unsettling incident. Despite inquiries from Reuters, both Boeing and LATAM Airlines have yet to offer immediate responses regarding the cause and nature of the incident.