Arik Flight En Rute London, Makes Emergency Landing As Nigerian Woman Gives Birth On Board

An Arik Air flight with over 100 passengers en
route to London Sunday was forced to make an
emergency landing in Palmas, Spain, as a
woman went into labour and gave birth while the
aircraft was airborne.The pilot was said to have
requested the emergency landing on the advice
of two doctors who were on board the aircraft
and had helped the mother deliver the baby.
When the passenger went into labour, the cabin
crew asked that doctors on board the flight to
identify themselves. Following the
announcement, two of the passengers came
forward, saying they were doctors and assisted
in the delivery of the baby.
Normally, a source disclosed that in the few
instances where women have given birth on
board, the aircraft would continue its flight to its
final destination. However, the Arik flight was
forced to make an emergency landing following
the advice of the doctors that the woman was
bleeding excessively - she was said to have
experienced excessive hemorrhaging,
necessitating the emergency landing.
At the time of this report, both mother and child
were said to have been stable but were left
behind in Palmas for monitoring by medical
personnel, while the flight continued on its
journey to London.
The airline was trying to ascertain if the woman
had presented a false medical report from her
doctor on the true duration of her pregnancy or
she had gone into premature labour while on
board the flight.
Women with full term pregnancies are not
allowed to travel by air, according to
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
regulations. As such, intending pregnant
passengers are required to present medical
reports certifying that they are less than 32
weeks pregnant before they are allowed to fly.
A source said the airline was carrying out a full-
scale investigation to ascertain the genuineness
of themedical report presented by the woman.
Arik Air's management said yesterday that if it
is discovered that the woman was given a false
report to enable her fly, it would file a special
complaint against the doctor who had issued the
medical report to the Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA) for endangering her life and
that of the baby, as well that of other
passengers on board the flight.