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Boeing from Latam Airlines: Numerous injured due to slumping
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Brett Phibbs/AFP
After the dramatic descent of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated by Latam Airlines on the flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, the aircraft manufacturer is drawing conclusions: Boeing asked the operating airlines to check the cockpit seats of their 787s during their next maintenance.
This recommendation is a “precautionary measure,” according to a statement from the aircraft manufacturer.
The company emphasized that the investigation into Monday's incident was ongoing.
Questions about possible findings should be directed to the investigating authorities.
According to Auckland emergency services, around 50 people were injured in the incident.
Passengers reported that when the Dreamliner suddenly sank, people who were not wearing seatbelts were thrown from their seats to the cabin ceiling and into the aisles.
The plane later landed as scheduled at Auckland Airport.
According to a report in the trade magazine "Air Current", the incident could be due to a strange breakdown: According to this, the investigators have their sights on a switch on the pilot's seat that a flight attendant could have unintentionally activated when she brought the pilot a meal into the cockpit.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, the seat could have been adjusted in such a way that the pilot was pressed into his instruments.
According to this theory, this in turn led to the machine suddenly sinking.
Lots of problems at Boeing
The incident is one of a number of problems at Boeing.
In January, in an incident involving a virtually new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, a part of the fuselage broke off shortly after takeoff.
The more than 170 people on board were largely shocked.
Just last week, a Boeing 777 lost a wheel shortly after takeoff from San Francisco.
sol/AP