Woman gives birth on Turkish Airlines flight
‘I was so happy everything was OK,’ says doctor who delivered baby mid-flight
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
A woman has given birth onboard a Turkish Airlinesflight.
The new mother was on a flight from Istanbul to Chicago on 27 September when she unexpectedly went into labour, two weeks before her due date.
The Moroccan woman’s waters broke at 30,000ft, forcing cabin crew to make a tannoy announcement asking if there was a doctor onboard.
Dr Feridun Kubilay stepped up to the plate, despite not having delivered a baby in decades.
Kubilay, who works part-time as a neurosurgeon in Turkey but does not practice medicine in his adopted hometown of New Orleans, told Nola.com: “I was so happy everything was OK.“
It was only by chance that he was on the plane at all, having decided to delay his original flight back to the US by a week.
The baby boy was delivered safely and was named Mehdi.
A medical team was waiting to meet the plane when it touched down in Chicago, Illinois.
It’s far from the first time a baby has been delivered mid-flight.
In September 2020, a baby was given free flights for life after her mother gave birth while still airborne.
EgyptAir flight MS777 from Cairo to London had to do an emergency landing when Yemeni passenger Hiyam Nasr Naji Daaban realised she was going into labour.
The pilot diverted the service to Munich, Germany, in hopes that Daaban could reach a hospital in time.
However, the prospective mother delivered a baby girl before the plane could land, with the help of a doctor who happened to be onboard.
In response, the airline said the child would receive free EgyptAir flights for life – though the offer seemingly only extended to Munich, where the aircraft was diverted to.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments