A China Southern Airline flight has recently made an unscheduled landing at an airport in Anchorage in California due to a medical emergency involving a 19-month-old baby.
Flight CZ330 had been en route from Vancouver to south China's Guangzhou.
Two hours after the plane took off, chief attendant Du Wei heard weeping at the back of the passenger cabin while handing out meals and found a couple who were cradling their motionless baby.
"When I approached the baby I found that the baby's vital signs were very weak - he closed his eyes with low and shallow breathing. We immediately gave him CPR and other attendants provided oxygen for him through oxygen bottle."
Attendants immediately found a doctor on board who gave more than 20 minutes of emergency aid and suggested that the baby be further treated in hospital due to insufficient medical equipment aboard the plane.
To cope with the emergency, captain Gui Jizhong soon made a decision to make an alternate landing at the nearest possible airport.
He also released nearly 30 tons of fuel oil because the maximum weight for a Boeing 787 making a landing is 27 tones less than what his plane was carrying.
"I decided to release fuel oil while the plane was descending in the sky. We also broadcast the special situation which required us to land at Anchorage and hoped all the passengers would understand the delay. All passengers supported our decision very much."
The plane landed at Anchorage airport 40 minutes after the plane was diverted and the sick baby was rushed to a local hospital.
The baby has been successfully treated and released from hospital.
