Dozens of people injured after a “technical problem” on an Auckland-bound LATAM Airlines flight caused passengers to be “flew from the cabin”.

(CNN) — Dozens of people were injured due to a sudden technical glitch on a flight from Australia to New Zealand, the flight operator said. Eyewitnesses told local media that the passengers were suddenly thrown out of the cabin.

Emergency medical service provider Hato Hone St John Ambulance told CNN that about 50 people were treated for injuries upon arrival in Auckland, including one person who was in critical condition. Emergency operators said 12 patients were taken to hospital.

“Hato Hone St John can confirm it has responded to an incident involving an incoming aircraft at Auckland International Airport,” the statement said.

“Our ambulance crews assessed and treated approximately 50 patients, with one patient in critical condition and the remainder in moderate to mild condition. Twelve patients were taken to hospital: ten were taken to Middlemoor Hospital, including one patient “One patient was taken to Auckland City Hospital in a moderate condition and one patient was taken to Starship Hospital in a moderate condition,” the statement said.

According to a statement from LATAM Airlines to CNN, the affected passengers and cabin crew “received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated as necessary by medical personnel at the airport.”

“Today flight LA800, operating on the Sydney-Auckland route, experienced an in-flight technical incident, causing serious shock,” the statement said. The statement said the plane landed in Auckland as scheduled on Monday.

The statement did not specify what the technical incident was.

LATAM Airlines is Chile’s major airline and makes regular stops in Auckland en route to Santiago.

St John Ambulance said 14 units, including seven ambulances, responded to an incident involving an incoming aircraft at Auckland International Airport.

A passenger on board the plane, named Jacinto, speaking to RNZ, said a drop had fallen “in mid-air”.

“People flew out of the cabin,” he said. “People were quite hurt.”

He said many passengers were not wearing seat belts at the time of the sudden fall.

“People were also very scared,” he said.

Another passenger, whom RNZ called Valentina, said the plane “just stopped”, and “people were flying everywhere”.

“There was blood on the roof, people flew in and broke the roof of the plane,” he said. She said she was “too scared” to get on a plane again.

Valentina suffered minor injuries but was treated by medical staff after the plane landed.