LATAM Airlines flight declares emergency and plunges 23,000ft as oxygen masks drop

LATAM Airlines flight declares emergency and plunges 23,000ft as oxygen masks drop A general emergency was declared on board LATAM Airlines Peru flight LA2424 as the aircraft travelled between Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima to São Paulo Passengers were left terrified as their flight plunged 23,000ft - with the pilot forced to declare a mid-air emergency. The incident occurred on board LATAM Airlines Peru flight LA2424 as the aircraft travelled between Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru to São Paulo in Brazil. The Boeing 767-316, which can carry up to 221 passengers, reached about 33,000ft when a technical issue meant the aircraft rapidly dropped to about 10,000ft. The sharp descent happened less than an hour after take-off from Lima, above the Ica region. Oxygen masks dropped and pilots sent the 7700 emergency signal to air traffic control. The plane levelled at roughly 10,000ft before landing back in the Peruvian capital at 11.31am local time on October 16, about one hour and 43 minutes after departure. Peruvian passenger Alejandra Baigorria said the pilot announced an emergency landing before the masks dropped and thought "these are the last minutes of my life". She remained on the oxygen mask for nearly an hour while the jet descended and turned back. The airline said in a statement: "LATAM Airlines Peru regrets any inconvenience that may have been caused and reaffirms that the safety of its passengers and crews is the top priority in all its operations." The airline confirmed the crew followed established safety procedures and described the fault as only a technical issue. Crews follow standard protocols in such cases by descending promptly so passengers can breathe normally without masks. Specialist aviation reports indicated a loss of cabin pressure triggered the automatic release of the oxygen masks on the plane. A replacement aircraft was arranged so travellers could continue their journey to São Paulo later the same day. The flight took off from Lima again later that same afternoon and landed safely in São Paulo about four-and-a-half hours later.