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Hercules to transfer baby twins Hercules to transfer baby twins
(about 2 hours later)
An RAF Hercules aircraft has been scrambled to help transfer premature twins born in hospital in the Hebrides. An RAF Hercules aircraft has been sent to transfer twins born prematurely on a Scottish island to a mainland hospital.
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 Scottish Ambulance Service said the mother went into labour at 27 weeks and gave birth in Stornoway Hospital on the Isle of Lewis on Sunday night.
Doctors are understood to be stabilising the twins before they will be taken by plane to hospital in Glasgow for specialist care. Medical experts flown in by a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter have been helping to stabilise the babies.
The Hercules was drafted in due to severe gales and snow storms. The Hercules was drafted in because of snow and high winds and is due to fly the twins to a hospital in Glasgow.
According to the Scottish Ambulance Service the woman gave birth at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway. The condition of the babies and their mother is not known.
Wild and windy Medical emergency
Medical staff arrived onboard the helicopter but the Hercules has not yet landed. According to the Scottish Ambulance Service the woman gave birth at the Western Isles Hospital late on Sunday night.
Once the babies have been stabilised the aircraft is expected to fly them to Glasgow. He said: "We received a call at about 6.30pm last night that a 27 weeks pregnant female was having a twin birth.
"It is my understanding that the twins were born late last night, but we don't know what their condition is."
He said a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter carrying medical staff and incubators had landed earlier on Stornoway to help stabilise the twins.
"We sent two consultants to Stornoway in the Sea King. But because of forecasts of snow and high winds we didn't feel it was safe to fly to the mainland.
He added: "The plan is to go to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital (in Glasgow) in the Hercules."
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that a Hercules had been scrambled to Stornoway "to assist in a medical emergency".
Duty Hercules
The aircraft was called in when severe weather conditions made the transfer to a maternity hospital in Glasgow too dangerous for an air ambulance.
Michael Mulford from RAF Kinloss said the weather in the Hebrides was very wild and windy.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." 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 Lyneham."
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.