‘Plane just froze’: 24 passengers treated after in-flight incident in New Zealand

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 24 passengers aboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight were treated during an incident on Monday, triggering a large-scale medical emergency in New Zealand.

The flight, which took off from Sydney, landed at its scheduled 04.30 p.m. (0330GMT) at Auckland airport where authorities were notified about the incident at around 03.58 p.m. (0258GMT).

Latam Airlines said: “Flight LA800 had a technical problem during the flight which caused a strong movement.”

"Some passengers and cabin crew were affected. They received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated by medical staff at the airport as needed,” it added.

Two of the passengers were taken to Middlemore Hospital.

One woman passenger told the daily New Zealand Herald that she “experienced a quick little drop” during the flight.

“I used to be a flight attendant and this is the first time I’ve ever ... the whole plane just froze,” she said.

“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,” said an airline spokesman.