Baby Delivered By Air Crew Enroute To The Hospital

Despite their best efforts to get an expectant mother to the hospital on time, the crew of a UK Coastguard helicopter found themselves delivering a baby boy as the aircraft flew from the far north of Scotland to the nearest hospital.

The baby's parents live on Britain's most northerly island, called Unst, located in Shetland. The Coastguard was called by the family's doctor about 4:30 in the morning asking about ferry times, saying the woman was in labor. The service instead dispatched the helo, which was racing to get them to Lenwick Hospital, but the baby wouldn't wait. The Times of London reports that winchman paramedic Marcus Wigful delivered the baby at about 1,000 feet AGL over the island of Lunna Holm about 10 minutes before they arrived at the hosptial.

Shetland Coastguard watch manager Alex Dodge said it was a first for the aircraft based at Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands. Mother, dad, the baby, and the aircrew are all reportedly doing just fine.

(UK Coastguard helicopter file image provided by the UK MoD)

FMI: www.shetlandcoastguard.info/