SANTIAGO, March 12 (Reuters) - Investigators from

Chile's aviation authority are traveling to New Zealand on

Tuesday to investigate an incident involving a LATAM Airlines

Boeing plane which left more than 50 people

injured.

Chile's DGAC aviation body said in a statement it will take

the lead on the investigation after the plane, carrying 263

passengers and nine crew members, abruptly dropped mid-flight on

Monday while en route from Sydney to Auckland.