At least 50 injured after technical problem causes 'strong movement' on Boeing flight

Passengers were thrown to the roof of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner during a sudden altitude loss that resulted in at least 50 people being injured Monday on a LATAM Airlines flight. 

The plane experienced a technical issue that caused "strong movement" on the flight from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand, according to The New Zealand Herald. 

Of the approximately 50 people who were injured, a dozen were transported to local hospitals and one person was left in serious condition. The injuries included broken bones and head and neck injuries, per passenger Brian Jokat. 

Jokat said the plane "just dropped" just over halfway through the flight. 

Another passenger, identified as Daniel, said the incident was so chaotic it was difficult to tell whether the plane's interior was splattered with blood or wine.

"The plane dipped so dramatically into a nose dive for a couple of seconds and around 30 people hit the ceiling hard," Daniel said. 

The LATAM flight still landed Monday as scheduled in Auckland, where it normally stops on its way to Santiago, Chile, where the airline is based, per Reuters. 

"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," a spokesperson for LATAM said, according to The Guardian.

A Boeing spokesperson told Newsweek: "We are working to gather more information about the flight and will provide any support needed by our customer."

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