50 Passengers Injured After LATAM Boeing 787-9 Suffers “Technical Problem” During Flight From Sydney that caused a sudden drop in the altitude of the aircraft.
A LATAM Boeing 787-9 operating flight LA800 from Sydney to Auckland suffered what the airline calls a “technical problem during the flight, which caused a strong movement.”
Passengers on the flight told the New Zealand Herald the plane went into a nose dive for a few moments, causing as many as 30 people to hit the ceiling. As many as 50 passengers received medical attention from ground medical services in Auckland, with at least 13 being taken to an area hospital, with one person listed in serious condition.
Passengers on the flight reported to RNZ that many were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the unexpected issue, which caused some passengers to fly through the cabin.
The airline reported to the New Zealand Herald that cabin crew were among those affected by the loss of altitude. Passengers told the Herald that the cabin crew were unable to help the victims as they were injured.
This story is still developing; more updates to follow.
