Latam Airlines: Fifty hurt as jet to NZ hit by 'technical' issue

Fifty people were hurt, with 12 in hospital, after a flight from Sydney to Auckland suffered what was described as a mid-air "technical event".

The Latam Airlines jet "just froze" after a "quick little drop", one passenger told the New Zealand Herald.

Emergency services said 12 people were taken to hospital, and one patient was in a serious condition.

Reports said multiple passengers felt the aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, drop suddenly mid-flight.

Passengers were thrown out of their seats, causing them to hit their heads on the plane's ceiling.

Some were not wearing their seatbelts, Radio New Zealand reported, quoting one of those on board.

Another passenger reported seeing people "flying around" and seeing traces of their blood on the ceiling.

New Zealand's St John ambulance service said it had "assessed and treated approximately" 50 patients.

Twelve people were taken to hospital, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition

Further details about the "technical event" or what caused it are still not known.

Latam Airlines said it "deeply" regretted "any inconvenience and discomfort this situation may have caused its passengers".

It said "a technical event during the flight" had "caused a strong movement" but provided no further information.

"The plane landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled," it added.

The aircraft was scheduled to fly on from Auckland to Santiago, the capital of Chile, where the South American carrier is based.

The flight has been cancelled and a new flight was scheduled for Tuesday, RNZ reported.