50 injured by ‘strong movement’ on flight from Australia to New Zealand

At least 50 people have been injured by what officials described as a “strong movement” on a Chilean plane flying from Australia to New Zealand.

LATAM Airlines said in a statement that there was “a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement”.

About 50 people were treated at the scene for mostly mild injuries, with 13 taken to hospital, an ambulance spokesperson said.

One patient was believed to be in serious condition.

Passengers said a number of people were not wearing seatbelts when flight LA800 suddenly dropped.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled and was to continue to Santiago in Chile.

“LATAM regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards,” the airline said.