China News Service, March 12 (Xinhua) According to comprehensive foreign media reports, on the 11th local time, a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 passenger plane flying from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand encountered technical problems and made an emergency landing during the flight. The plane plunged violently for a few seconds, causing passengers to hit the roof of the plane, injuring at least 50 people and injuring another crew member.
According to Reuters, the Boeing 787-9 passenger plane carrying 263 passengers and 9 crew members took off from Sydney and was originally scheduled to land at Auckland Airport that afternoon.
Image source: Screenshot of Reuters report
"The plane took a nosedive without any prior notice. The way it plummeted was unlike anything I'd ever experienced in any slight turbulence, it felt like being at the top of a roller coaster," said passenger Brian Chocutt.
"Many passengers were thrown from their seats, hit the roof of the aircraft and then fell down the aisle."
According to the Associated Press, when the Boeing 787-9 landed in Auckland, medical staff and more than a dozen ambulances were waiting at the scene.
Relevant sources said that about 50 people were treated at the scene, most of them suffered minor injuries, and 13 people were sent to the hospital.
One of them is in serious condition.
The New Zealand Herald stated that the Boeing passenger plane's sudden and turbulent descent was due to "technical problems."
Neither Boeing nor LATAM Airlines have responded yet.
Since 2024, Boeing has been involved in aviation safety crises many times.
In January, part of the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max series aircraft burst. This incident injured several people on board and grounded 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft in the United States.
In March, a United Airlines Boeing passenger plane suffered three accidents within five days, including engine fires, tires falling off, and skidding off the runway.