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Hercules to transfer baby twins Hercules to transfer baby twins
(about 1 hour later)
An RAF Hercules aircraft has been scrambled to help transfer premature twins due to be born within hours in hospital in the Hebrides. An RAF Hercules aircraft has been scrambled to help transfer premature twins born in hospital in the Hebrides.
The mother went into labour early and medical experts aboard a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter are attempting to reach Stornoway to deliver the babies. The mother went into labour at 27 weeks and medical experts were taken to Stornoway by Royal Navy Sea King helicopter to deliver the babies.
The Hercules has been drafted in due to gales and snow storms. Doctors are understood to be stabilising the twins before they will be taken by plane to hospital in Glasgow for specialist care.
Once the babies are born, the plane will take them to hospital in Glasgow for specialist care. The Hercules was drafted in due to severe gales and snow storms.
According to the Scottish Ambulance Service the woman is 27 weeks pregnant. According to the Scottish Ambulance Service the woman gave birth at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.
She is at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway and the twins are due to be born at 0200 GMT. Wild and windy
The helicopter, which was due to arrive there at 0020 GMT, has two incubators, two doctors and two medics onboard. Medical staff arrived onboard the helicopter but the Hercules has not yet landed.
The Hercules, from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, is expected to land at Prestwick airport where a specialist medical team will be waiting. Once the babies have been stabilised the aircraft is expected to fly them to Glasgow.
It will then head to Stornoway and once the babies are stabilised, it is expected to transfer them to Glasgow. Michael Mulford from RAF Kinloss said the weather in the Hebrides was very wild and windy.
Speaking about the medical evacuation he said: "The normal way of evacuating two babies would be to put them in an air ambulance, a fixed wing. But I think the wind is just beyond the margin so what we did was, we got the duty Hercules to fly up from Lynam."
Hercules aircraft have been used several times in recent years for baby transfers but it is though to be the first time that twins will be involved in a flight of this kind.Hercules aircraft have been used several times in recent years for baby transfers but it is though to be the first time that twins will be involved in a flight of this kind.