Maldivian Medical student gives birth on board flight

Aminath Raushan Khaleel, 24, en route to Minsk with her husband where the two had to report for their new medical college before October 30 has given birth on board Etihad flight.
Gulf News reports that the baby boy born to the Maldivian medical student on board Etihad before the diverted Trivandrum-Abu Dhabi flight could land at the Muscat International Airport is healthy and doing well with his mother.
Raushan was travelling to Minsk with her husband where the two had to report for their new medical college before October 30. “My wife was due next month around 20th and we had to report before October 30 to complete our transfer from Russian medical college to the college in Minsk, Belarus,” Aminath’s husband, who reluctantly gave his name as Abdullah Shahid, told Gulf News.
The two agreed to talk to Gulf News after much thought as they were worried about their parents reading about the incident before they could inform them.
“We had no choice but take flight so that we can report on time for our studies in medicine,” he said, adding that now they must complete all the formalities to reach Minsk on time.
The young couple is in complete dark how to go about the matter as both are busy at the Royal Hospital tending to their new-born son.
“We haven’t named him,” Aminath said. When suggested that why not give him a name that would remind them of from Oman, she asked what does Sultan means?
The two took flight from Trivandrum to Abu Dhabi where they were to take connecting flight to Minsk in Belarus. But Aminath went into labour midair. Once being told of her condition on board the flight, the pilot immediately diverted the plane to Muscat. However Aminath delivered a healthy baby boy 20 minutes before the flight landed.
edical staff and an ambulance were ready to assist the mother and the newborn baby upon their arrival at Muscat, who along with the baby’s father and Etihad crew members, were all assisted and transferred to the Royal Hospital.
“There was a trained nurse on board as a passenger and she helped in delivering the boy,” Aminath’s husband told Gulf News from the bedside of his wife and newly born baby boy.
He also praised the Etihad crew as well as ground staff at the Muscat International Airport. “They put us at ease and made everything smooth, including a top class hospital and medical facilities.”