Newborn baby fights for life on flight to English hospital

A seriously ill one-day-old baby has been flown from Cork to England for life-saving treatment.

The HSE has confirmed that the newborn was transferred from Cork University Maternity Hospital to a hospital in Leicester by a Royal Navy rescue helicopter.

The critically ill baby was born at CUMH yesterday.

It quickly became apparent that it needed specialist treatment that is not available in Ireland.

A Royal Navy rescue helicopter arrived in Cork this morning with a specialist team and incubator on board.

The baby was then flown to England at lunchtime where it will be attached to an EMCO machine at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

The identity and sex of the baby, as well as the illness, are not being made known to the public.

An EMCO machine can take over the heart or lung functions of a baby or adult.