Police are still investigating whether a mother, who gave birth on an Auckland-bound flight this morning and allegedly abandoned the baby, will face charges.
The woman was on a flight from Samoa when she went in to labour, apparently delivering the child without anyone else on the plane knowing. The Airline later discovered the newborn baby and alerted authorities.
In the care of ambulance officers, the baby girl was reunited with her mother. The mother and baby were then taken to Middlemore Hospital and are said to be healthy and doing well.
How the mother managed to give birth mid-flight without passengers or crew noticing is unknown.
Questions are being asked about how safe it is for heavily pregnant women to fly. Pacific Blue says passengers with complicated pregnancies, or those who have reached 36 weeks must have medical clearance to fly. Air New Zealand has the same requirements and also asks for medical clearance for pregnant women travelling more than four hours. Qantas bands women from flying if they are past 36 weeks.
While airlines say mid-flight births do not happen very often, a woman did give birth on an Auckland-bound Air New Zealand flight in August last year. Sadly, the baby was still born.
Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding this morning's events.
3 News