- Footage from the plane shows paramedics walking through the plane with the baby
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This is the moment stunned plane passengers watched in awe as paramedics helped a woman give birth on board the plane.
In-flight footage taken earlier this month shows a medic walking briskly around the plane with the baby after landing in Turkey.
Shortly before, a group of paramedics had boarded the plane to the cheers of the passengers.
Passengers can be seen craning their necks to see where the mother and paramedics are at the back of the plane, chatting excitedly.
A passenger is seen collecting small items of clothing and making his way to the area where the mother gave birth, while a flight attendant is seen leaving the crowded area.
Moments later, a paramedic can be seen carrying the baby – now wrapped in a blue cloth – to the front of the plane.
The baby doesn’t seem to make any noise.
A medic is seen carrying the newborn baby to the front of the plane
Passengers looked behind them as paramedics (right) entered the plane
It is currently unknown where the plane was headed, but it is believed to have landed in Turkey as the language on the back of the medic’s uniform is Turkish.
It is not clear whether the woman gave birth while the plane was still in the air or after the plane landed.
Airborne births are incredibly rare. Medical care company MedAire reports that they occur in about one in 26 million passengers.
Dr. Paulo Alves, the company’s global medical director, told Condé Nast: “In-flight births are very, very rare, and if you look at the cases, they were unexpected – they were premature births.”
He added that giving birth in the air comes with its own challenges.
“It is not the best place for you to give birth for many reasons.” For one thing, the air is thinner, making it harder for the baby to breathe. From the altitude, it’s like giving birth to a premature baby in Mexico City.”
Additionally, the likelihood of having specialists available to assist with the birth is extremely low, meaning complicated procedures such as cesarean sections are nearly impossible to perform, even if they are necessary for the safety of the mother and baby.
Paramedics were seen entering the plane to the cheers of passengers