LATAM Airlines Flight 800
_(25730445450).jpg) The aircraft involved in the incident, pictured in 2016 with its previous livery | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 11 March 2024 |
| Summary | Under investigation |
| Site | Tasman Sea, west of Auckland, New Zealand |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner |
| Operator | LATAM Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | LA800 |
| ICAO flight No. | LAN800 |
| Call sign | LAN CHILE 800 |
| Registration | CC-BGG |
| Flight origin | Sydney Airport, Sydney, Australia |
| Stopover | Auckland Airport, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Destination | Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago, Chile |
| Occupants | 272 |
| Passengers | 263 |
| Crew | 9 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 50 |
| Survivors | 272 |
LATAM Airlines Flight 800 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Sydney Airport in Australia to Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago, Chile, with a stopover at Auckland Airport, New Zealand. On 11 March 2024, around two hours into the first leg of the flight, the aircraft dropped suddenly. Of the 272 people onboard, 50 were injured, with 12 people with severe injuries taken to a hospital after landing in Auckland while one person was in critical condition.[1][2][3]
Aircraft[edit]
The aircraft is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, coded B789. It had flown multiple regularly-scheduled passenger flights without incident, including a flight from Auckland Airport to Sydney Airport the same day.[4]
Incident[edit]
While the flight was over the Tasman Sea around one hour away from Auckland, the aircraft dropped suddenly. In a few seconds, the plane lost over 300 feet of altitude. People and objects that were not restrained were thrown upwards, with around 30 to 40 people hitting the ceiling of the cabin.[5] The aircraft continued to Auckland as scheduled. Medical staff boarded the plane at Auckland Airport and treated the wounded, tending to 50 people, with reports of cuts and bruises, head and neck injuries, and broken bones. Twelve people were transported to hospital, including one person in a serious condition.[6] The pilot reported to a passenger that the instruments in the cockpit went blank when the plane fell, then came back online a few seconds later.[7]
Investigation[edit]
As the incident occurred over international waters, the Chilean Directorate General of Civil Aviation began an inquiry on 12 March 2024. The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission is assisting in the inquiry. They are working to recover the black-box from the flight, which may give more information on what happened.[8] The exact cause of the sudden change in trajectory is unknown, but most experts have suggested that multiple factors played a role in the incident.
Reactions[edit]
Boeing responded to the incident by stating "We are working to gather more information about the flight and will provide any support needed by our customers". The accident followed Boeing's increased criticisms for multiple in-flight problems on their aircraft.[9]
LATAM apologized for the incident, stating "We are committed to safety in our operations"[10].
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Zhuang, Zan; Frost, Natasha (11 March 2024). "'Strong Movement' on Flight to New Zealand Leaves Dozens Injured". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ "Fifty hurt as NZ-bound flight hit by 'technical' issue". BBC. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ Visontay, Elias; Corlett, Eva (2024-03-12). "'Felt like an earthquake': passengers recall moment of terror on Latam flight as investigation launched". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ Flightradar24. "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map". Flightradar24. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "New details from Sydney-Auckland LATAM flight revealed". www.9news.com.au. 2024-03-12. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ "LATAM Airlines Sydney to Auckland flight: 50 people treated after mid-air incident". RNZ. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ Visontay, Elias; Corlett, Eva (11 March 2024). "Cockpit and flight data gathered as investigation launched into Latam mid-air plane drop". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ Timsit, Annabelle; Masih, Niha; Bellware, Kim (2024-03-11). "50 people injured after plane's 'nosedive' on flight to New Zealand". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ Ryan Dubé; Rhiannon Hoyle. "Incident on Latam Flight Injures Dozens Aboard Boeing 787 Dreamliner". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
External links[edit]
