It appears to have been a harrowing experience aboard a flight from Sydney to Auckland amid a recent spate of reent emergencies in the skies.
Recently, a routine flight turned into a moment of unexpected turmoil for passengers aboard a Chilean plane. The aircraft, belonging to LATAM Airlines, encountered what officials described as a “strong movement.” This technical event, though not elaborated upon in detail, resulted in at least 50 passengers sustaining injuries.
Upon landing in Auckland, the plane was met with paramedics and over ten emergency vehicles ready to assist. The injuries were mostly mild, but the chaos onboard was undeniable, especially considering 13 individuals required hospitalization, and one person was reported to be in serious condition.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, completed its journey as scheduled, touching down at Auckland Airport. Despite this unexpected event, LATAM Airlines has reiterated its unwavering commitment to safety, expressing regret over the inconvenience and injuries caused.
But the skies have been unfriendly to more than just LATAM Airlines. United Airlines has found itself at the center of attention for all the wrong reasons, with four emergency landings occurring within just a week. The incidents ranged from mechanical issues, such as a hydraulic system failure on a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City, which was diverted to Los Angeles, to more unusual occurrences, like an engine catching fire after ingesting bubble wrap.
Each of these emergencies, including a flight losing a tire after takeoff and another aircraft skidding off a runway, has been distinct and unrelated.
United Airlines said in a statement that “each of these events is distinct and unrelated to one another.”
“We take every safety event seriously and will investigate each of the incidents that occurred this week to understand what happened and learn from them,” United said. “Much of this work is conducted together with the manufacturers, the FAA, and the NTSB as well as with the manufacturers of individual components … Safety is our top priority, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to keep our customers and employees safe.”
The FAA is investigating.
