A newborn baby girl has been saved after emergency services conducted a three hour mammoth rescue from a storm drain pipe in Durban.
“She has been rescued out of the drain. She was assessed by Rescue Care advanced life support paramedics before being handed over to the Air Mercy helicopter crew by EMRS,” said Rescue Care spokesperson Garrith Jamieson.
READ: Dramatic rescue of baby under way in Durban
The child’s cries were heard around 07:30 on Monday on the corner of Barricuder Road and Herring Way in Newlands East.
A rescue effort with police search and rescue together with numerous other services continued for three hours.
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Skilled officers had to burrow into the ground and stabilise the area around the pipe. The child could be heard during most of the rescue.
“We can hear the baby crying. Durban fire department and the police search and rescue have cleared around the pipe and are trying to reach the child,” Jamieson earlier said.
The baby was handed to the Air Mercy helicopter that transported her to hospital.
#BabyRescue: What a moment! The baby has been rescued. Cheers all around from the community. The baby appears to be in good health and was treated by paramedics. @OpenNewsSA pic.twitter.com/ivyZWFtf3D