DENVER - A woman on a plane bound for Boise has a new baby today – after giving birth in the air!
Flight 441 was headed from Chicago to Boise, with a stop in Salt Lake City. There were 123 people were on board, including a pregnant woman. About 90 miles north of the Denver Airport, the woman went into labor.
The flight crew swung into action and began making plans for an emergency landing in the Mile High City.
Before the plane could land, a passenger tells NBC affiliate KUSA that the flight crew asked if there was a doctor on the plane. One came forward, and with the help of a medical radio service helped the woman give birth.
They went to the back of the plane where the doctor, who practices internal medicine, pulled one of his own shoestrings to tie off the umbilical cord.
About 15 minutes later, a flight attendant announced that they had a new passenger – a baby boy. The passengers burst out into applause.
The doctor who helped deliver the baby says mother and newborn son are doing fine.
It is not currently known where the woman was from, but according to the doctor, she was due to give birth in January. And she had planned to give the baby up for adoption. The couple planning to adopt the child was waiting at the Salt Lake City Airport.
An ambulance met the plane at the gate in Denver. Mom and baby are at Aurora South Hospital.
The flight into Boise is delayed, and is currently scheduled to arrive at about 3 p.m.
