Air Canada flight from Saint Lucia diverts to Bermuda as passenger gives birth mid-air

The Air Canada flight Rouge 1879, travelling from Saint Lucia to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada, had to be diverted to Bermuda after a woman went into premature labour and gave birth mid-flight.

The incident which took place on March 6, 2024 was confirmed by the airline earlier this week through an official statement.

According to the information, the mother and her newborn child are said to be in a good health condition. The airline issued a written statement saying that when the flight attendants realised the passenger was in labour, they put out a call for any medical professionals on the plane. The statement added that two doctors among the passengers generously volunteered to assist the woman, following which the aircraft was diverted to Bermuda, but before it landed, the woman had delivered a baby.

The two doctors on the plane assisted in the delivery of the baby with support from the cabin crew of Air Canada. The statement further said that local medics met the aircraft in Bermuda, and the passenger and the baby, who were both in stable condition, were rushed to a local hospital.

The airline also expressed their gratitude to the doctors who assisted and said that they were proud of the professionalism of the crew. In spite of the unforeseen circumstances, the flight crew remained calm and handled the situation very well and in a professional manner.

It is to be noted that births on board flights are rare because typically women who are above period of 36 to 40 weeks pregnant are not allowed to fly but the rules vary depending on the airline.

An airline spokesperson confirmed that women who are pregnant an travel up to 36 weeks with a normal pregnancy on Air Canada flights.

According to the date, only an estimated 70 people across the world have been born midair in flight as of now.