A flight last week from Senegal to Brussels, Belgium, experienced an extra special delivery after a mother on board unexpectedly gave birth to a healthy baby girl enroute.
According to a LinkedIn post by Brussels Airlines, shortly after takeoff from Dakar, Senegal, a woman named Ndeye started experiencing “severe pain” and alerted flight attendants, who quickly realized she was in labor. She was assisted by a 22-year-old nurse as well as a doctor on board, who started counting her contractions and moved her into an area in the gallery so she could labor. Before the plane had time to return to the Dakar airport, baby Fanta was born.
Also assisting in the delivery was flight attendant Jennifer Joie, who described the joyous experience. “As a cabin crew member, you train for everything, even childbirth – but nothing prepares you for the real thing,” she said. “But we stayed calm, worked as a team, and followed our procedures. It was magical. If I hadn’t become a cabin crew member, I think I would have been a midwife.”
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The airline noted that the first few moments of baby Fanta’s life were tense, as everyone worried if she would be ok. “And then, the most beautiful sound filled the cabin: her first cry,” it reported. “A doctor on board confirmed she was healthy, and relief washed over everyone.”
Brussels Airlines also shared the happy news on its Instagram page.
“Shortly after takeoff, our incredible cabin crew Jennifer, along with a newly graduated nurse and a doctor on board, helped bring this little bundle of joy into the world. It was a true reflection of teamwork, care, and the extraordinary moments that happen in the sky,” the airline wrote. “Welcome to the world, little Fanta! We hope to have you on board again one day.”
