Emergency workers recue baby from in stormwater drain

The faint cries of a baby trapped in a stormwater drain could be heard as Durban emergency workers battled to reach the infant. 

According to Rescue Care paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, paramedics and emergency services were working on the corner of Barracuda and Herring Way in Newlands East, outside Durban, desperately trying to get the baby, believed to be a newborn, out.

“We can actually hear the baby crying. We have gained access to the pipe, paramedics are just clearing around the pipe and then they will break into the pipe,” Jamieson said earlier.

He said the team - comprising of officers from Durban Fire and Rescue, KZN Emergency Medical services as well as Saps and Metro search and rescue - worked together and eventually managed to reach the infant, a little girl.

"The baby has been safely removed out of the storm water drain alive and is been stabilised on scene before being loaded into the AMS medical helicopter," he said.

He said the baby was airlifted to Albert Luthuli hospital.