CHILE · AVIATION SECURITY
Key Facts
- What happened A passenger said they carried explosives on LATAM flight 745 from Santiago to São Paulo; the threat was ruled out.
- Who Chile’s civil aviation authority, the DGAC, ran the check; the PDI detective police detained the passenger.
- When Saturday, 7 November 2026, at Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.
- Unknown The passenger’s identity, motive and any charges have not been made public.
- As of Sunday, 8 November 2026, 08:00 UTC.
- Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 62.9 points (November 2026 edition).
Chilean police detained a passenger on Saturday after the passenger said they were carrying explosives on a LATAM Airlines flight to São Paulo, and officials say the threat was ruled out.
A passenger said they were carrying explosives on LATAM Airlines flight 745 from Santiago, Chile, to São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Chile’s civil aviation authority said the threat was ruled out and police detained the passenger.
LATAM Airlines is a large Chile-based carrier, and its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange as American depositary receipts under the ticker LTM. Those receipts are certificates that let US investors hold shares of a foreign company.
For US readers, the case touches two things at once: the safety of travellers in South America and the operations of a company that American investors own. Our earlier report on a LATAM jet fire on a flight from Lima to Piura shows how closely such events are followed.
What Happened at Santiago Airport
The Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil, or DGAC, is Chile’s civil aviation authority. It said specialists from its airport security unit, known as AVSEC, carried out a security procedure on LATAM 745, bound for Guarulhos, at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago.
Guarulhos is the main international airport serving the city of São Paulo. The DGAC gave the reason for the procedure as a threat from a passenger who said they were carrying explosives.
After the procedure, the DGAC said the threat was ruled out and the passenger was detained by the Policía de Investigaciones. That force, known as the PDI, is Chile’s civilian detective police.
The DGAC statement did not say what was checked or whether any item was found. We have not seen a statement from LATAM or the PDI.
We could not confirm from the airline or the authorities whether the flight was delayed or at what time it left. The DGAC statement did not mention a delay.
Why It Matters to Travellers and Investors
Aviation security staff treat any claim of explosives on board as serious until it is checked, whatever the person meant by it. That is why a single remark at an airport can stop a flight, even when nothing dangerous is found.
LATAM’s New York-listed shares give American investors a stake in how well the airline handles such events. We found no company statement on any effect on its operations or schedules.
Chile is one of the Latin American countries we track closely for US readers. For background on how the country works, see our explainer on Chile’s tax system.
Live Company IntelligenceLATAM Passenger Held After Explosives Claim — the full investor dossier
LATAM Airlines Group S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides passenger and cargo air transportation services in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, the United States, other Latin American countries, the Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania. As of December 31, 2024, the company provides passenger transport services to…
Net income rose to $1.5 bn in 2025, from $581.8 mn in 2023.
What Happens Next
The authorities have not yet said what charges, if any, the passenger will face. Anyone detained in such a case is a suspect and is presumed innocent until a court rules otherwise.
Readers can expect a fuller account once the police or a prosecutor release details. Travellers on LATAM routes from Santiago should check their flight status with the airline, as ever.
What Is Not Known
The passenger’s name, age, nationality and motive have not been made public. We found no statement from the airline or the police on the case.
We do not know what was inspected, whether anything was found, or what charges may follow. The length of any delay to flight 745 is also unconfirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on LATAM flight 745?
A passenger said they were carrying explosives, and the DGAC ran a security procedure on LATAM flight 745 on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Chile’s aviation authority said the threat was ruled out and police detained the passenger.
Was anything found on the plane?
The aviation authority said the threat was ruled out. It did not say whether any item was found.
Is LATAM Airlines listed in the United States?
Yes, its American depositary receipts, which let US investors hold the shares, trade on the New York Stock Exchange. The ticker is LTM.
Sources: Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil, DGAC, Chile, statement on its social media accounts, 7 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error