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12 hospitalised in New Zealand after Latam flight dips violently: ‘people flew through the air’
- Flight LA800 – a Boeing 787 Dreamliner – experienced an unspecified ‘technical event’ during a 3-hour flight from Sydney to Auckland
- More than a dozen ambulances and other medical vehicles rushed to treat the wounded when the plane touched down in New Zealand
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Twelve passengers were hospitalised on Monday after a technical problem on a Latam flight from Sydney to Auckland caused the plane to dip violently, the airline and first responders said.
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At least one person was in serious condition after flight LA800 – a Boeing 787 Dreamliner – experienced an unspecified “technical event” over the Tasman Sea.
Passengers told New Zealand media that the plane quickly lost altitude, flinging some towards the ceiling.
“People flew through the air because they weren’t wearing their seat belts,” a passenger told public broadcaster RNZ.
“Some people got pretty injured. People were really scared as well,” the unidentified man said, his voice shaking.
Passenger Brian Jokat told local news website Stuff he had been sleeping when the incident happened, and he woke up to see his seat neighbour on the ceiling of the plane.
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