An Indonesian woman delivered a baby onboard mid-air on a Abu-Dhabi-Jakarta Etihad Airways flight following which the flight had to make an emergency medical landing at Mumbai Airport.
Officials confirmed that the baby was delivered while the flight was above the Arabian Sea. At the time of emergency being discovered, the pilot contacted the Mumbai Airport for landing, and a landing took place about 40 minutes after the baby took birth mid-air.
Etihad Airways, in a statement, said, "Today's Etihad Airways flight EY474 from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Jakarta (CGK) was diverted to Mumbai (BOM) due to a medical emergency on board. As a result of the diversion, the flight will be 2 hours delayed arriving into Jakarta. We regret any inconvenience caused. The safety of our guests and crew is Etihad Airways' highest priority."
After landing at Mumbai Airport, the female passenger was provided with necessary medical assistance by doctors of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL). An ambulance was arranged and the passenger was shifted to Seven Hills Hospital in Andheri. The flight later departed at 9.42 am.
Dr Lavesh Ramchandra Jadhav, medical superintendent of Seven Hills Hospital, said, "The Indonesian woman delivered the baby in the washroom. She was full-term pregnant and was traveling on the flight. She delivered the baby in the washroom. The baby is not delivered pre-term. The woman and her baby was brought to the hospital and was immediately shifted for further treatment. Both are kept under observation. While the lady is shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU), the baby has been kept in NICU under observation. There are no complications and both are in stable condition."
A MIAL spokesperson in a statement said, "As soon as Mumbai Airport staff was informed about the situation, a medical team was kept on standby which attended the passenger immediately post the aircraft landing."
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