At 11:05 p.m., as the SE4 train from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi was passing through Nghe An province, Le Thi Tuyet Ngan (from Tay Ninh), occupying bed 26 in carriage 10, unexpectedly went into labor. Ngan, 34 weeks pregnant, was traveling with her husband to Hung Yen to await childbirth.

Upon receiving the report, train chief Tran Van Tri instructed staff to bring medical supplies to assist. He also made an announcement seeking passengers with medical expertise. Tri contacted dispatch to request an emergency stop at the nearest station, Cau Giat, and arranged for local medical teams to have an ambulance waiting.

A baby boy weighing 2,1 kg was delivered by SE4 train crew members and passengers on the SE4 train, passing through Nghe An area, on the night of 10/1. Photo: Van Tri Tran

In carriage 10, the area around the passenger's bed was cordoned off to create a makeshift delivery room. Flight attendant Truong Thi Yen Tram, 35, along with two medically trained passengers, guided the mother on breathing techniques and prepared warm water and towels.

At 11:34 p.m., as the train pulled into Cau Giat station, the baby boy let out his first cry. He weighed 2,1 kg. "It was a critical situation because the passenger was giving birth prematurely, and it was her first child. The baby's cry brought a wave of emotion through the entire carriage", Tram recounted.

Immediately after, the train crew assisted in transferring the mother and baby off the train to an ambulance, which transported them to Quang Thanh General Hospital, located just over 1 km away. After a 30-minute stop to manage the medical emergency, the SE4 train resumed its journey at 12:06 a.m. on 11/1.

Passenger Tuyet Ngan was transferred by the SE4 train crew to an ambulance, taken to Quang Thanh General Hospital, on the night of 10/1. Photo: Van Tri Tran

On the morning of 11/1, Doctor Truong Thi Tinh, Head of the Obstetrics Department at Quang Thanh General Hospital, stated that the baby boy was admitted in a premature, underweight condition. Doctors provided warmth, oxygen support, and administered a tetanus shot. The mother and baby are stable but require further hospital monitoring.

Do Nguyen Anh Hoang, the passenger's husband, expressed his family's gratitude for the decisive support from the railway staff and fellow passengers. "Without everyone's help, my wife and child would have struggled to be safe", he said.

Over the years, North-South train crews have successfully delivered babies for passengers on numerous occasions during their journeys. Most recently, in 6/2023, a baby girl was also safely born on the SE4 train while it was passing through Thanh Hoa.

Quynh Nguyen