13 hospitalised after turbulence on New Zealand-bound flight

Thirteen passengers have been hospitalised after a LATAM flight from Sydney to Auckland experienced a “technical event” that caused serious turbulence Monday, the airline and first responders told AFP.

Chile-based LATAM Airlines said flight LA800 “had a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement. The plane landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled”.

Gerard Campbell of St John Ambulance New Zealand said medics were alerted to an incident at the airport and 13 patients had been taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

“We were notified at 3.58 pm and responded with five ambulances,” he said.

“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,” Campbell said.

The airline said LATAM “deeply regrets any inconvenience and discomfort this situation may have caused.”

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