One traveller described broken roof panels, bleeding passengers and screaming as LATAM Airlines flight LA800 “just dropped out of the sky”.
Boeing today said it was collecting details about what happened during the flight yesterday.
“We are working to gather more information about the flight and will provide any support needed by our customer,” Boeing said in a statement to 9News.com.au.
LATAM Airlines, a Chilean carrier, said the Dreamliner had a technical problem which caused a “strong movement”.
One patient was in a serious condition and the others were in a “moderate to minor condition”, the ambulance service said.
Passenger Brian Jokat, who was dozing with his seatbelt on, said he thought he was dreaming when saw the man next to him “on the roof” before suddenly dropping to the floor.
“The plane, unannounced, just dropped,” Jokat told the BBC.
“I mean, it dropped unlike anything I’ve ever experienced on any kind of minor turbulence and people were thrown out of their seats, hit the top of the roof of the plane, thrown down the aisles, it was madness, madness.”
He said there was “chaos” as some yelled and screamed while others were bleeding from the head after a fall that lasted a second or two.
“As a result of the incident, some passengers and cabin crew were affected,” the airline said in a statement.
“LATAM regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards.”
In an unrelated incident, United Airlines flight UA830 from Sydney to San Francisco was forced to turn around about two hours into its journey this afternoon.
A leak was reportedly detected and the plane landed back in Sydney about 2.30pm.
No injuries were reported.