LATAM Airlines Peru flight LA2424 was forced to declare a general emergency and return to Lima after a technical issue caused the aircraft to plunge 23,000ft, with oxygen masks deploying in the cabin.
The Boeing 767-316, which can carry up to 221 passengers, was travelling between Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, and São Paulo in Brazil when it reached about 33,000ft before rapidly dropping to roughly 10,000ft.
Emergency Descent Over the Ica Region
The sharp descent occurred less than an hour after take-off, above the Ica region. Oxygen masks dropped and pilots transmitted the 7700 emergency signal to air traffic control.
The plane levelled at approximately 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.
Passenger Account and Airline Response
Peruvian passenger Alejandra Baigorria said the pilot announced an emergency landing before the masks dropped, and she 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.
LATAM Airlines 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.”
Technical Issue and Replacement Flight
The airline confirmed the crew followed established safety procedures and described the fault as only a technical issue. Specialist aviation reports indicated a loss of cabin pressure triggered the automatic release of the oxygen masks.
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 afternoon and landed safely in São Paulo about four-and-a-half hours later.
