A woman from Kerala delivered a healthy baby boy at a height of 35,000 feet on board a Jet Airways flight 9W-569, when the aircraft was on its way from Dammam to Kochi, on Sunday morning.
In a development that took place on Father’s Day, the woman – identified as one C Jose (29) -- went into premature labour, when the aircraft flying over the Pakistan airspace. Acting promptly, the crew on board the Boeing 737 with 162 passengers diverted the aircraft to Mumbai airport.
Responding to an announcement by the in-flight crew seeking to know if there were doctors on board the flight, a trained paramedic Mini Wilson came forward to assist Jose.
Wilson, together with the airline’s crew comprising Mohammad Taj Hayath, Deborah Tavares, Isha Jayakar, Sushmita David, Catherine lepcha, and Tejas Chavan, helped Jose deliver a healthy baby boy after the aircraft was diverted to Mumbai.
“The lady passenger delivered a baby boy at 35000 ft. Upon landing, both mother and the baby were rushed to Holy Spirit Hospital in Mumbai and are stable,” a Jet Airways spokesperson said.
Jose was on her way to Kochi along with her family, when she delivered a baby boy.
After a two-hour halt at Mumbai airport for the medical emergency, the flight departed for its onward destination, Kochi. Jet Airways announced that being the first baby to be born in-flight for the airline, it would offer the newly-born a free life-time pass for all his travels on its flights.
“Jet Airways commends its crew for their response and promptness that saw them successfully translate their training into life saving action. The airline expresses its gratitude to Ms Wilson, the on board paramedic for her guidance,” the airline said in a statement issued here in the evening.