Passengers Help Save Baby on Diverted US Airways Flight

After a baby reportedly stopped breathing, passengers rushed to help.

ByABC News
March 12, 2014, 1:24 AM

March 12, 2014— -- A US Airways flight was diverted to Houston after a baby reportedly stopped breathing – with passengers on board coming to the baby’s rescue.

Flight 678 departed from Tampa International Airport Tuesday en route to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. As the plane neared Houston, a baby on the flight stopped breathing and turned purple, passengers told KSAZ FOX10 in Phoenix. Two passngers with medical training responded, rushing to help.

As rescue efforts continued, the pilots prepared for an emergency landing. But the efforts of the rescuers at last paid off and the baby became responsive.

“When we heard the baby cry, it was just … it was a teary moment for everybody,” a female passenger told FOX10.

After the baby started crying, the passengers cheered.

The passenger was taken off the flight when the plane landed in Houston, and EMTs attended to the passenger, US Airways spokesman Liz Landau told ABC News. US Airways declined to release any information about the passenger.

There’s no word on the baby’s condition.

The plane landed safely in Phoenix at about 9 p.m. local time.

ABC News' Dawn Ennis contributed to this report.