Bangkok-bound flight makes emergency landing as woman gives birth mid-air

Kolkata: A Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Bangkok had to make an emergency landing at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata on the wee hours of Tuesday after a woman gave birth to her baby mid-air.

According to sources, the woman identified as Phromkasikorn Wassana boarded the flight QTR830 which had taken off from Doha with 352 passengers. Around 2 am when the flight was crossing Nagpur, Wassana fell sick as her labour pain started.

Immediately the cabin crew were informed. As there was no other way, she gave birth to her child with assistance from the air hostesses and a doctor on board.

Meanwhile, the pilot of the flight informed NSCBI Airport Air Traffic Control (ATC) around 2:30 am, about a medical emergency and requested for an immediate landing. Soon the pilot was given landing signal and an alert was raised at the NSCBI Airport.

At around 3:10 am, the flight landed safely and Wassana along with her newborn baby was sent to a private hospital near Haldiram's. Later the flight took off from Kolkata at around 5:50 am for Bangkok with other passengers.