Mother safely delivers baby boy onboard MV Ma Lisha

Swift action by crew members and public-spirited citizens saw Pauline Cirus, a passenger onboard the MV Ma Lisha that was en route to Kumaka, North West District (NWD) in Region One (Barima-Waini), safely giving birth to a healthy baby boy in the wee hours of Saturday.
Based on reports, the expecting mother began experiencing abdominal pain and contractions sometime around 01:10h. At the time, the MV Ma Lisha was navigating open waters precisely 22.22 nautical miles off Shell Beach.
Recognising the delicate situation, the boat captain immediately issued a distress signal to request the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Coast Guard to request assistance for the expectant mother.
However, before help arrived, three female passengers aboard the vessel: Daphne Williams, Martina Valenzuela, and Lorna Joseph-Beharry, stepped forward to assist the woman in the labour.
With their assistance and the support of the crew, Cirus safely delivered a baby boy at 01:51h onboard the vessel. A Coast Guard team, under the command of Petty Officer Wendell Walcott, subsequently arrived at about 06:20h. The Coast Guard personnel safely transferred Cirus and her newborn son along with two accompanying passengers, Williams and Joseph-Beharry, onto the response vessel and they were swiftly transported to the Mabaruma Hospital for postnatal care.
To ensure maximum safety during the vessel transfer, the operation was executed 3.8 nautical miles off the Waini Inner Beacon, taking advantage of the relatively calmer waters in that area.
Following the successful joint operation, the MV Ma Lisha resumed its journey to Kumaka, arriving safely at port at 09:30h.
In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Public Works emphasised that the distress call from the vessel was solely a request for medical support and was in no way related to any physical fault, vessel malfunction, or emergency concerning the ship itself.
Nevertheless, subject Minister Juan Edghill commended the MV Ma Lisha crew, the Coast Guard team, and the three female passengers for their selfless civic duty, resourcefulness, and care in ensuring the safety and well-being of mother and child.