Woman gives birth in Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter during flood rescue

A pregnant woman rescued from the floods by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) rescue operation has given birth in the helicopter just after her rescue.

One of the four pregnant mothers rescued from Horowpathana has given birth in the SLAF's Bell 212 helicopter while being transported to safety, the Air Force said.

The SLAF had deployed four helicopters including two Bell 212 and two MI17 to rescue people stranded by the ravaging floods in the Anuradhapura district.

The rescue missions had taken to safety 30 individuals including 7 pregnant mothers and several children in critical condition from Horowpathana and Saliyapura today.

The Air Force said it had also air lifted dry rations to the flood affected people in the northeast. A MI-17 from SLAF Base in Hingurakgoda has airlifted a consignment of 17,000 Kg of fresh rations and 6,500 food packets to the flood affected areas of Welikanda, Medirigiriya, Kahambiliyawa and Dimbulagala.