There were ‘people flying’: Passengers recall mid-air drop of LATAM Airlines flight

A group of passengers from a LATAM Airlines flight that experienced a mid-air drop while en route to New Zealand arrived in Chile on Tuesday, where two of them recounted their harrowing experience to a CNN team at Santiago International Airport.

Verónica Martínez, a Chilean resident who was aboard flight LAN800 from Australia to New Zealand on Monday, described the ordeal as "horrible."

She mentioned that the flight was normal until it suddenly dropped, causing chaos with people and items flying around the cabin. Fortunately, Martínez escaped injury because she was wearing her seatbelt, but she witnessed others, including a baby, being thrown through the cabin, likening the experience to a "roller coaster."

Another passenger, Diego Valenzuela, described a "free fall" lasting for a few seconds, resulting in numerous injuries among passengers.

Both Martínez and Valenzuela expressed relief upon arriving in Chile.

The exact number of passengers involved in the incident remains unclear.

Chilean aviation authorities have dispatched a team to Auckland to investigate the incident. This team, comprising four members, will analyze the flight recorders, or black boxes, and will be joined by a technician from New Zealand.

Approximately 50 people were treated for injuries upon landing in Auckland, with one person in serious condition. Twelve patients were subsequently hospitalized.

LATAM Airlines stated that affected passengers and crew received immediate assistance and medical evaluation upon landing in Auckland.