Incredible moment newborn baby is pulled alive from a storm drain in South Africa after rescuers dig down to pipe and cut through it when passer-by heard the girl’s screams
- Passer-by heard baby screaming near a home north of Durban in South Africa
- Rescuers spent three hours reaching girl, who was 23ft down a storm drain pipe
- Clip shows the moment the tiny child was lifted to safety by emergency crews
This is the incredible moment a newborn baby was pulled alive from a storm drain in South Africa after a passer-by heard the girl screaming.
Footage shows rescuers lifting the tiny child to safety after digging down to a pipe and cutting through it near a home at Newlands East, north of Durban, on the country’s east coast.
Emergency crews spent three hours trying to reach the infant, who was lodged some 23ft down the drain.
Incredible footage has emerged of the moment a newborn baby was pulled alive from a storm drain in South Africa
A resident who was out for an early morning walk thought he could hear a cat mewing from beneath a steel drain cover and lifted the lid up to look inside.
Lyron Lovdale climbed down inside the drain when he realised the noise might be a baby crying and shone a light into the pipe and saw the naked new born.
He immediately raised the alarm and a full rescue operation swung into action involving the police, ambulance and fire brigade in Durban, South Africa.
The team confirmed that a baby girl was stuck and was being washed further down the pipe. When they finally got to the baby they broke into the pipe and managed to reach in and grab her.
Three hours after first getting the call one of the rescuers shouted up that he had the baby girl and that she was still alive and she was pulled up and out to safety.
The naked baby can be heard screaming as she is brought out into the sunlight and gently placed into a towel held by a paramedic.
She was examined and rushed to a waiting helicopter before being taken to a nearby hospital for care.
Medics said she may be suffering from hypothermia but otherwise appeared unhurt.
Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Robert McKenzie said paramedics worked for three hours to get to the baby and were delighted to rescue her alive.
He said: ‘Currently she is in a stable condition and our helicopter has taken off with the child to get her to hospital where doctors are waiting to receive her.
Footage shows rescuers lifting the tiny child to safety after digging down to a pipe and cutting through it near a home north of Durban, on the country’s east coast
‘Police will now be trying to investigate the circumstances that led to the baby being in the drain in the first place and will also be trying to trace the mother,’ he said.
Mr McKenzie said when rescuers first arrived she was around 6ft down the drown but was then washed about 18ft further down the 1ft diameter drain.
He added:’ It is great news she has been rescued and she is currently in a stable condition so a great ending for all the rescuers and personnel and paramedics who did this. The community was also very supportive and helpful which was great.’
The baby, who locals have named Storm after the water drain in which she was found and her tempestuous start to life, will go into the South African care system.
Some 3,500 babies are abandoned a year and the social services will take over now and allocate the baby to a nursery and then try and find parents who wish to adopt.