People Were ‘Thrown Back 4 or 5 Aisles’ After Flight Experienced Mid-Air Drop, Passenger Says

A passenger on LATAM Airlines flight LA800 who experienced “strong shaking” mid-journey on Monday is speaking about the terrifying incident.

Brian Jokat, 61, was sitting in a window seat when the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner experienced a sudden mid-air motion while flying from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 50 people were injured in the plane carrying 263 passengers and nine members of the flight and cabin crew.

“Everything was going well,” passenger Jokat told NBC News. “Then suddenly the plane dived.” He added: “People were flying out of their seats, hitting the roof, being thrown back four or five aisles.”

Photo of a LATAM plane standing at the gate of Los Angeles Airport.

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Jokat said he was wearing a seat belt, which he thinks saved him from injury, adding that this was not the case with the person sitting next to the aisle in his row. “I saw him lying on the ceiling looking at me,” he said. “He was fully extended.”

“And then a bang, I looked behind me and everyone was falling from the ceiling,” he added.

Admitting that he rarely wore a seat belt during an entire flight, Jokat insisted that “those days are over. I will always keep my seat belt on. Because what I saw on that plane were people flying like rag dolls.”

After the mid-air incident, the flight landed safely at Auckland Airport at 16:26 local time.

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In a statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Boeing said: “Our thoughts are with the passengers and crew of LATAM Airlines Flight 800 and we commend everyone involved in the response. We are in contact with our client, and Boeing stands ready to support investigative activities as requested.”

On Monday, the Chile-based airline shared a press release, confirming that the plane experienced “severe shaking during the flight.” The airline said 10 passengers and three cabin crew members “were taken to a medical center to confirm their medical conditions, and most were discharged shortly thereafter.”

“Only one passenger and one cabin crew member required additional attention, but without danger to life,” the statement said. “LATAM is working in coordination with the relevant authorities to support investigations into the incident.”

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Hato Hone St John, an emergency medical service, confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement on Monday that their “ambulance crew assessed and treated approximately 50 patients” upon arrival at Auckland Airport. Most of the injuries were “moderate to minor”. However, one passenger remained “in serious condition”.

The flight was scheduled to land in Auckland on its final destination of Santiago, Chile.

LATAM Airlines said in a statement: “For passengers continuing their journey to Santiago, Chile, flight LA1130 is scheduled to depart Auckland on March 12, 2024 at 20:00 local time. LATAM has provided affected passengers with food, accommodation and transportation due to flight cancellation.”

“LATAM Airlines Group’s priority is to support passengers and flight crew members and we apologize for any inconvenience and discomfort this situation may have caused. They also reiterate their commitment to safety as an uncompromising value within their operational standards,” the airline continued.

New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) confirmed it was “in the process of gathering evidence relevant to the investigation, including the seizure of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders.”

“The accident involving LATAM flight LA800 occurred in international airspace,” TAIC said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “Under the International Civil Aviation Convention, Chile’s accident investigation authority, the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC), is responsible for investigating the accident and has confirmed that it has opened an investigation.

“The DGAC has requested the assistance of the Traffic Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC),” the department added.

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