The US Air Force tweeted on Sunday that an Afghan woman gave birth to a baby girl on a US military aircraft soon after arriving on an evacuation flight to Germany.
The woman went into labor and started experiencing complications during the trip from a staging location in the Middle East, according to the report.
The aircraft commander chose to drop in altitude to boost air pressure in the aircraft, which helped stabilize and save the mother’s life, according to the US Air Mobility Command.
Medical support personnel from the 86th Medical Group help an Afghan mother and her family off a @usairforce C-17 Globemaster III moments after she delivered a baby aboard the aircraft at @RamsteinAirBase in Germany. pic.twitter.com/339bMiVDVO
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) August 22, 2021
Upon arrival at the Ramstein base, US military doctors assisted the woman in delivering her baby in the plane’s cargo hold.
The mother and child were subsequently taken to a nearby medical facility and are “in good condition,” according to the report.
The woman was seen laying on a stretcher being taken off the aircraft by US troops at the base in southwest Germany, according to footage provided by the US military.
Evacuation efforts from foreign countries continue a week after the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, under severe circumstances marked by images of fear and despair at Kabul airport.
According to the US administration, approximately 17,000 individuals have been evacuated by the US since August 14, including 2,500 Americans.
The US received permission from Berlin to send part of the evacuees to Germany, where it maintains a number of bases.
A base spokesperson stated that around 1,150 individuals arrived at the Ramstein base on Saturday and would leave for the United States in the coming days.
