Woman Gives Birth 42,000 Feet on Turkish Airlines Flight

At 42,000 feet (12,800 meters), cabin personnel on a Turkish Airlines aircraft welcomed the arrival of an extra passenger when a mother gave birth to a baby girl.

Passengers assisted during the delivery, which occurred shortly after take-off on a flight from Conakry, Guinea’s capital, to Istanbul via Ouagadougou.

When the Boeing 737 arrived in Burkina Faso’s capital, the woman and her baby, Kadiju, were transported to the hospital.

Both are said to be weary but in good health at the moment.

According to a Turkish Airlines statement, “the cabin staff saw that a woman passenger called Nafi Diaby, [who was] 28 weeks into her pregnancy, was feeling labor pains. They arrived quickly to assist her with the birthing throughout the journey.”

Most airlines allow expecting mothers to fly until they are 36 weeks pregnant, but from 28 weeks onwards, a signed note from a doctor confirming the projected due date is required.