A LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying LA800 suffered a “strong movement” before landing in Auckland after departing Sydney on March 11.
According to the airline, ten passengers and three crew members suffered injuries, two of which required further attention. The aircraft landed safely in the New Zealand city and the 13 injured were taken to a medical center.
In a statement, LATAM stated that it is investigating the causes of the incident with the Boeing 787.
“As a result of the incident, 10 passengers (2 with nationality from Brazil, 1 from France, 4 from Australia, 1 from Chile and 2 from New Zealand) and 3 cabin crew were taken to a medical center to check their health status, and the majority have already been discharged. Only 1 passenger and 1 crew member have injuries that require further attention, but are not risky,” the company said in a statement.
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Passenger reports said that the aircraft had a sudden loss of altitude in flight. Images published on social media show passengers with injuries and part of the cabin roof loose.
Some passengers reported that people flew through the cabin with the sudden movement of the aircraft.
Flight LA800 has Santiago de Chile as its final destination, with a stopover in Auckland. The remaining passengers were accommodated in hotels waiting for the next flight to continue their journey.
Boeing 787-9 aircraft
The aircraft involved in the incident is a 787-9 Dreamliner registration CC-BGG that was delivered to the airline in December 2015.
The Chilean company’s fleet has 25 widebodies of this type configured to accommodate 332 passengers, 30 in business class, 51 in premium economy and 232 in economy.
The flight between Sydney and Auckland lasted 3 hours and 32 minutes and reached an altitude of 41,000 feet, according to FlightRadar24.
“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 carrier said in a statement.
“Following the cancellation of the flight, a new flight (LAN1130) has been scheduled for March 12, 2024, departing from Auckland at 20:00 local time, bound for Santiago, Chile.”
The article has been corrected to state the exact number of people injured in the incident
