Modern-day heroes: the Air Malta crew that pulled off a miracle

Robin Zammit captained the flight to Heathrow with a baby in an incubator

They had one job to do: get a baby with a fifty-fifty chance of survival as fast as possible to Heathrow, London. And they succeeded with flying colours.

Captain Robin Zammit and the Air Malta crew were on Sunday tasked with the responsibility of flying a baby to Heathrown, in an incubator.

The baby had a fifty-fifty chance of survival before the departure, although his condition looked better on arrival.

“We were literally an ambulance, not slowing down some 400 miles away,” Captian Zammit said.

The flight avoiding the 20 minutes holding and negotiated to land on the runway used for take-off, taking only four minutes to get to stand after landing – instead of the usual 10 to 15 minutes.

“Every minute counted, and everyone did a great job, but prayers are needed,” Zammit said.

The flight captain said it was a team effort, from start to finish: “When you think about it, there are so many Air Malta employees involved in such an operation.” Besides the medical teams and the ground crew, including an ambu-lift, the medical advice officer first goes through the company doctor and the safety officer vets and approves the electronic medical equipment to be carried.

Then the commercial side blocks a number of seats, which in turn allows engineers and technicians to physically take out the plane seats and mount a unique incubator. A special flight plan is then drafted.

Needless to say, the captain’s Facebook wall was flooded with comments of thanks and appreciation for the crew’s efforts.

Many others urged the baby to fight on.