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Baby Born on Transatlantic Flight

Passengers cheer as Boston-bound flight gets an extra passenger

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 1, 2009 7:48 AM CST

(Newser) – Passengers on a Boston-bound plane from Amsterdam got a New Year's surprise when a woman on board went into labor, the Boston Herald reports. Two doctors on the flight informed the pilot that the baby would come before the aircraft could make an emergency landing. Passengers cheered after the woman delivered a baby girl.

"She looked perfect. She opened her eyes and she was very happy," said one of the doctors. "Even though we didn’t have a labor room delivery set up, everything went perfect.” The baby, born to a Ugandan woman who resides in the US, is a Canadian citizen because the plane was over Canadian airspace at the time. Mother and child are in good condition in a Boston hospital.

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Passengers on board the Northwest Airlines flight gave up their seats to aid the doctors and offered all they could to assist the new mother. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

A Northwest Airlines flight departs Detroit Metropolitan Airport in this file photo. Two doctors delivered a baby girl on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam on New Year's Eve. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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It was wonderful. Happy New Year for everybody in
the family!
- Dr. Paresh Thakker, who helped
deliver the baby

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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Baby Born on Transatlantic Flight