LATAM Boeing 787 grounded on Easter Island after ground vehicle tears off door
A LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-8 has been grounded on Easter Island after a truck that attaches passenger steps collided with the airframe, removing one of the aircraft’s doors.
A report by the Aviation Safety Network, an offshoot of the Flight Safety Foundation that provides information on airline accidents and safety issues, said the LATAM Airlines Chile widebody registered CC-BBD had door number two on the left side of the aircraft ripped off.
LATAM incident occurred after arrival from Santiago
The aircraft had just landed at Mataveri Airport on Friday, 29 May, as flight LA841 following the five-hour journey from Santiago-Arturo Merino Benitez Airport on mainland Chile.
“During the positioning of an airstair, the truck collided against the right, front part of the fuselage, peeling off the Dreamliner’s door number 2,” the Aviation Safety Network reported.
There were no injuries and, as of Monday, 1 June, the aircraft remained on the ground.
Remote location complicates repair work for LATAM
The incident leaves LATAM in a difficult position, since the remote Pacific Ocean island does not have a sophisticated maintenance facility capable of carrying out a door replacement.
Because of Easter Island’s isolation, LATAM – the only airline operating scheduled services to the territory – generally relies on mainland Chile for significant maintenance work.
The airline will likely need to fly in specialist engineers and replacement parts before the aircraft can depart the Chilean territory.
Photos show door detached from fuselage
Images circulating online show the door having separated cleanly from the fuselage while remaining attached to the air stairs truck.
Un Boeing 787 CC-BBD de LATAM endommagé à l'île de Pâques (Rapa Nui) 🇨🇱
— Gate7 (@Gate7aviation) May 31, 2026
Le Boeing 787 #Dreamliner immatriculé CC-BBD de #LATAM Airlines a été endommagé sur le tarmac de l'aéroport de Mataveri, sur l'île de Pâques, après l'atterrissage du vol LA841 lorsque la deuxième porte (L2)… pic.twitter.com/2zSdHysMF5
NEW: LATAM Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner grounded at one of the most remote airports in the world after the L2 door was torn off by an airstairs truck.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 31, 2026
The incident occurred on Friday at Mataveri International Airport on Easter Island in Chile, located approximately 3,759 kilometres… pic.twitter.com/IJj2WhuaVw
Online commentators have speculated about several possible recovery options, including fitting a temporary door plug that could allow the aircraft to be ferried without passengers to a major maintenance facility for permanent repairs.
Aerospace Global News contacted LATAM Airlines for comment.
Similar Boeing 787 incident occurred in Dublin
The risk of aircraft doors being damaged by ground equipment is not unique to LATAM or Mataveri Airport.
In 2023, an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 also had door number two on the left side inadvertently removed after being struck by a jet bridge at Dublin Airport.
The aircraft, registered N812AA, had arrived from Chicago and was preparing to depart for Philadelphia when the incident occurred.
Featured image: Wikimedia/Bidgee
