Twenty-four people were injured following a “technical issue” aboard a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland. According to ABC News, two individuals were hospitalized after initially being treated at the scene. LATAM Airlines confirmed that flight LA800 experienced a “technical issue during the flight, resulting in significant movement.” The airline stated that as a result of the incident, some passengers and crew members were affected.
Upon landing in Auckland as scheduled, passengers and crew were met with a substantial response from the ambulance service. The ambulance service reported that their teams assessed and treated 24 patients at the scene, eight of whom were in moderate condition and 16 in mild condition, with two currently being transported to Middlemore Hospital. The statement added that over ten emergency service vehicles responded to the incident, including five ambulances, two operations managers, one Major Incident Support Team vehicle, one Command Unit, and two Rapid Response vehicles.
LATAM Airlines operates regular routes between Sydney, Auckland, and major centers in South America. The airline expressed regret for any inconvenience and injury that may have been caused to its passengers due to this situation and reiterated its commitment to safety as a priority within its operational standards.
The Boeing 787-9 landed in Auckland as scheduled and had been due to continue to Santiago, Chile. But the airline said the flight to Santiago had been canceled and a new one was scheduled for Tuesday.
Boeing-made planes have been hit with quality concerns following a series of technical incidents with its aircraft in recent months.
In January, most notably, a door panel of a Boeing 737 Max-9 Alaska Airlines blew out midair over Portland, Oregon, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. No serious injuries resulted from that incident.
