13 passengers have been hospitalized after a LATAM flight from Sydney to Auckland suffered a "technical event" that caused severe turbulence, the airline and first responders said, AFP reported.
Chile-based LATAM Airlines said flight LA800 "experienced an in-flight technical event that caused severe motion. The plane landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled."
Gerard Campbell of St John Ambulance New Zealand said medics were alerted to the incident at the airport and 13 patients were taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
"We were notified at 3.58pm and responded with 5 ambulances," he said.
"Our ambulance teams assessed and treated approximately 50 patients, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition," Campbell added.
The airline said LATAM "deeply regrets any inconvenience and discomfort this situation may have caused". / BGNES
