Over 50 injured as aircraft drops mid-flight

 

At least 50 individuals sustained injuries when a Boeing 787 operated by LATAM Airlines experienced a sudden drop mid-flight from Sydney to Auckland on Monday.

The incident led to a strong shake in the aircraft, resulting in 10 passengers and three cabin crew members being taken to a hospital.

The South American carrier is currently investigating the cause of the abrupt descent.

The flight, carrying 263 passengers and nine cabin crew members, landed at Auckland airport as scheduled on Monday afternoon.

Of those injured, one person is in serious condition, while the others suffered mild-to-moderate injuries, according to Hato Hone St John, a health service organization that treated approximately 50 people at the airport.

Passenger Brian Jokat described the unexpected drop, stating, “The plane, unannounced, just dropped. I mean it dropped unlike anything I’ve ever experienced on any kind of minor turbulence, and people were thrown out of their seats, hit the top of the roof of the plane, throwing down the aisles.”

The exact cause of LATAM 800’s sudden change in trajectory is yet to be determined. Safety experts highlight that thorough investigations are essential to understand the complex factors contributing to such incidents.