Dakar (West Africa) - Shortly after the take-off of a passenger plane in the West African country of Senegal , the unbelievable happened: A passenger gave birth to her child in the air.

As the airline Brussels Airlines reported on Linkedin, the pregnant woman initially only informed the crew that she was in severe pain.

However, Jennifer, one of the crew members and a mother herself, quickly realized that it was not just harmless stomach cramps, but that the woman was having contractions.

The pilots then decided to change course and return to Dakar - instead of flying to Brussels as planned.

But time was of the essence, as the woman's waters had broken.

With the help of a nurse and a doctor who happened to be on board, the birth finally went smoothly.

The baby girl, named Fanta, was born healthy and the first cry echoed through the cabin.