Emirates flight diverted as baby born onboard

An Emirates Airline flight from Dubai to Manila was diverted to Calcutta at the weekend when a pregnant passenger gave birth to a baby mid-flight, the Dubai airline has said.

“Today’s Emirates flight EK332 Dubai to Manila diverted to Calcutta in order to obtain medical assistance for a passenger. The safety of our passengers and crew is of the highest importance and will not be compromised,” an Emirates spokesperson said in a statement.

Last year, a baby boy born on board an Emirates flight from Dubai to Manila was named EK after the identification code used by the carrier.

Emirates flight EK332 was forced to make an emergency landing in Vietnam after a Filipino woman gave birth in the aircraft toilet.

Four flight attendants and two nurses reportedly helped deliver and care for the child, who was born premature at 27 weeks.

It was reported that the baby's parents work as hotel staff in Dubai and the 35-year-old mother and her husband had decided to deliver their first-born at home in Manila to save on costs.

The mother has been released from the hospital, but the baby remains in care, it was reported.