Afghan girl born on US military plane named Reach, after plane’s call sign

The girl child was born in the cargo bay area of evacuation aircraft C17 Globemaster ‘Reach 828’

An Afghan baby girl was named ‘Reach’ after the C-17 Globemaster’s call name ‘Reach 828’ (US AIR FORCE/AFP via Getty Image)

A girl child born on board a United States military plane during the evacuation from Afghanistanwas named "Reach," after the plane's call sign, US officials said.

The child's mother, an Afghan citizen, reportedly went into labour on 21 August while being flowing out of Qatar to a US military base in Germany. As the plane landed at the Ramstein air force base, military medics helped the women deliver her baby in the cargo hold of the aircraft.

To reduce the woman’s complications in labour, the commander reduced the aircraft’s altitude to increase air pressure in the aircraft, which “helped stabilise and save the mother’s life”.

“Medical support personnel from the 86th Medical Group help an Afghan mother and family off a U.S. Air Force C-17, call sign Reach 828, moments after she delivered a child aboard the aircraft upon landing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21,” tweeted Air Mobility Command.

Reach was born in the cargo of a C-17 Globemaster plane "Reach 828" and was one of the three babies born during evacuations. The other two babies were delivered at the Landstuhl regional medical centre in Germany.

"That child's name will forever be Reach. And if you can well imagine being an air force fighter pilot, it's my dream to watch that young child called Reach grew up and be a US citizen and fly United States air force fighters in our air force," said General Tod Wolters, the head of US European Command.

The family was fleeing following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on 15 August, General Wolters added.

Despite over 85 deaths in multiple blasts outside the Kabul airport on Thursday, thousands of people have gathered at the same spot to leave their country.