Baby born on Ukraine-Russia flight

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KHARKOV, Ukraine, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- A Russian airline said a flight to Moscow was diverted to a Ukrainian airport when a passenger went into labor and quickly gave birth in flight.

Aeroflot said Anastasia Kozlova, who was about 30 weeks pregnant, went into labor about 25 minutes into the flight Monday from Simferopol, Ukraine, to Moscow, and the pilot requested an emergency landing in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.

Kozlova gave birth on the plane with the help of Sofia Biryukova, 23, who trained as a nurse and works as a baby masseuse. Biryukova said she had to think quickly when the baby girl was not breathing.

"I knew that in such cases, obstetricians pump liquid from the infant's mouth and nose by a special device in order to clear the airways. As there were no devices, I had to suck out the mucus using my mouth," she said.

The mother and baby were taken to a Kharkov hospital, where doctors said Biryukova's actions saved the infant's life.