FLIGHT FROM HELL
Passengers ‘thrown into ceiling’ with 50 injured after Boeing 787 LATAM plane ‘suddenly nosedived’ on Australia flight
One horrified passenger described the horror scenes as something 'straight out of The Exorcist'
FIFTY people were injured onboard a Boeing plane when it "suddenly nosedived" mid-flight, with 12 rushed to hospital after the incident.
LATAM airlines admitted a "strong movement" was caused during the journey from Sydney to Auckland after a "technical problem".
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One passenger on the flight has been left in serious condition.
A host of emergency vehicles raced to Auckland Airport after passengers and crew were injured, including a Major Incident response team.
A video captured the moments after passengers and crew were reportedly thrown into the ceiling when the LATAM plane lost altitude.
People could be seen with their hands over their heads as cabin crew checked on them.
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A fellow passenger told the she was watching a film when the plane lost altitude and “a number of passengers and crew were thrown into the roof of the plane”.
She said: “I went into fight mode and just started jumping in and helping where I could because the crew were injured so couldn’t help.
“I’ve been on plenty of flights before but that was completely out the gate.”
The incident occurred with about an hour left in the flight.
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Another woman onboard said she felt a "quick little drop" during the flight.
She told the New Zealand Herald: “I used to be a flight attendant and this is the first time I’ve ever ... the whole plane just froze".
And she said "at least" five people were whisked away by paramedics waiting on the tarmac.
A man also onboard the flight said a passenger two seats away from him was not wearing his seat belt and also flew up into the ceiling, the New Zealand Herald reported.
He said: “His back is on the ceiling and he’s up in the air and then he drops down and hits his head on the armrest. The whole plane is screaming.”
“The plane then started taking a nose dive and I was just thinking ‘OK this is it, we’re done’.
"I thought I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and he was on the roof of the plane on his back, looking down on me. It was like The Exorcist.
“Then people just started screaming. I felt the plane take a nosedive - it felt like it was at the top of a rollercoaster, and then it flattened out again."
He continued: "There was no lean-in for a ‘strap in ladies and gentlemen’ this was just whack out of nowhere.
"The ceiling’s broken from people’s heads and bodies hitting it. Basically neck braces were being put on people, guys' heads were cut and they were bleeding. It was just crazy.”
Another flyer added: "People were flying around and everything was super scary.
“Blood was on the ceiling, people [flew] and broke the ceiling of the plane.”
The LA800 flight took place on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Monday.
Boeing has found itself at the centre of increasingly concerning reports in recent months thanks to malfunctions on its planes.
Just yesterday a criminal investigation was launched to investigate how one the jet door of a Boeing 737-9 Max was blown out at 16,000ft.
The surreal failing in January saw a fuselage panel ripped off midair forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.
And last week, a wheel dropped from one packed Boeing plane during takeoff at an airport in San Francisco.
Two other Boeing 737 MAX's were involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
St John's Ambulance said today: "Our ambulance crews assessed and treated approximately 50 patients, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition.
"So far, 13 patients have been transported to Middlemore Hospital by ambulance."
Firefighters were among the host of emergency services who rushed to treat the 50 injured.
Earlier St John's said: "We were notified at 3.58pm and are currently on scene with four ambulances, two operations managers, one Major Incident Support Team vehicle, one Command Unit, and two rapid response vehicles."
By 6pm on Monday evening there were still ambulances leaving the airport.
A Boeing spokesperson told The Sun Online: “We are working to gather more information about the flight and will provide any support needed by our customer.”
A LATAM spokesperson said: "The plane landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled.
"As a result of the incident, some passengers and cabin crew were affected.
"They received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated by medical staff at the airport as needed."
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LATAM added that it "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 often flies regular routes between Sydney, Auckland and major airports in South America - frequently stopping off in Auckland.
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