Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 15, 2024 14:28:04 GMT 12
From The Press, 7th of May 1958:
Triplets Born Aboard Island Aircraft
PORT MORESBY, May 5.
Triplets were born to a woman in an Anson aircraft on a 60-mile flight between Yule Island and Port Moresby today. The mother and babies were reported to be doing well tonight.
The babies were delivered by a Health Department doctor as the pilot kept the plane over the sea to avoid air turbulence.
The drama began after a medical assistant at Yule Island radioed the Health Department headquarters at Port Moresby and asked for an emergency flight to pick up an expectant mother because he anticipated complications m the birth. It was thought twins might be born.
The Anson, piloted by Mr J. Van Santen, chief pilot of Papuan Air Transport, took a doctor to Yule Island, which is an administration and mission centre along the coast north-west of Port Moresby
The plane picked up the woman, who was a Kerema native named Forwak. and three other native medical cases, and began the return flight. Mr Van Santen said later that about 20 minutes after leaving Yule Island the woman gave birth to a child.
He flew the plane over the water to “avoid bumps” as they continued towards Port Moresby Then a second child was born and he circled over the sea near Port Moresby for about a quarter of an hour until the third baby arrived.
“The babies were all born in about 25 minutes.” Mr Van Santen said.
“We had no sheets or towels to wrap them in but the doctor used some towels he had around his instruments.
“At one time, I looked around and saw him sitting there with two babies in his arms. A native man was holding the third.
“We had radioed for an ambulance to meet us at Port Moresby aerodrome.
“When we landed, the mother was remarkably well and wanted to walk off the plane but the doctor restrained her.
“I think the doctor did a wonderful job. He was completely calm the whole time.”
Mr Van Santen has made a number of medical emergency flights in the six years he has been with Papuan Air Transport and on another occasion a stillborn child was delivered in a plane he was flying - but never triplets before, he said. The doctor. Dr. R. B. Rodrigue, graduated in Melbourne two years ago and was in Launceston for a year.
Triplets Born Aboard Island Aircraft
PORT MORESBY, May 5.
Triplets were born to a woman in an Anson aircraft on a 60-mile flight between Yule Island and Port Moresby today. The mother and babies were reported to be doing well tonight.
The babies were delivered by a Health Department doctor as the pilot kept the plane over the sea to avoid air turbulence.
The drama began after a medical assistant at Yule Island radioed the Health Department headquarters at Port Moresby and asked for an emergency flight to pick up an expectant mother because he anticipated complications m the birth. It was thought twins might be born.
The Anson, piloted by Mr J. Van Santen, chief pilot of Papuan Air Transport, took a doctor to Yule Island, which is an administration and mission centre along the coast north-west of Port Moresby
The plane picked up the woman, who was a Kerema native named Forwak. and three other native medical cases, and began the return flight. Mr Van Santen said later that about 20 minutes after leaving Yule Island the woman gave birth to a child.
He flew the plane over the water to “avoid bumps” as they continued towards Port Moresby Then a second child was born and he circled over the sea near Port Moresby for about a quarter of an hour until the third baby arrived.
“The babies were all born in about 25 minutes.” Mr Van Santen said.
“We had no sheets or towels to wrap them in but the doctor used some towels he had around his instruments.
“At one time, I looked around and saw him sitting there with two babies in his arms. A native man was holding the third.
“We had radioed for an ambulance to meet us at Port Moresby aerodrome.
“When we landed, the mother was remarkably well and wanted to walk off the plane but the doctor restrained her.
“I think the doctor did a wonderful job. He was completely calm the whole time.”
Mr Van Santen has made a number of medical emergency flights in the six years he has been with Papuan Air Transport and on another occasion a stillborn child was delivered in a plane he was flying - but never triplets before, he said. The doctor. Dr. R. B. Rodrigue, graduated in Melbourne two years ago and was in Launceston for a year.
