The flight had to be diverted to Larnaca Airport in Cyprus

A tiny miracle was born in the skies on Friday as an Emirates airline flight to Paris was forced to divert to Cyprus because a woman gave birth mid-flight.

The woman and her newborn child were taken off the flight and shifted to a nearby hospital to be evaluated.

"Emirates can confirm that a passenger travelling onboard Emirates flight EK075, gave birth en route from Dubai to Paris on 12 May," an Emirates spokesperson said in a statement. "We have supported the passenger during this period and her health and safety has of course been paramount."

"As a result, the flight was diverted to Larnaca International Airport. The aircraft was refuelled and re-departed for Paris after a delay of approximately five hours," the spokesperson added. "The wellbeing and safety of our passengers and crew are of utmost important to Emirates and will not be compromised."

On Twitter, local Cypriot airport authorities expressed amazement at the in-flight miracle.

"They say great things come in small sizes," Cyprus Airports tweeted on Friday. "We received a sweet surprise today at Larnaka Airport. A baby delivered with an A380!"

According to Emirates, pregnant women who have entered their 29th week of pregnancy are required to provide a medical certificate or letter signed by a qualified doctor of midwife, stating the estimated date of delivery, the date at which one is fit to travel, whether the pregnancy is single or multiple and whether or not it is progressing without complications.

Those who do not carry a valid medical certificate may not be accepted for travel if Emirates staff have any doubt about their ability to complete the journey safely.

For single pregnancies, travel after the 36th week of gestation is only permitted after clearance is given by the Emirates medical department. Women with a multiple pregnancy are not allowed to travel after the 32nd week.

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