Dumped in a plane toilet bin: The newborn boy rescued from Gulf Air jet by cleaners

Airport cleaners tidying up an aircraft that had landed in Manila were shocked to find a new-born baby boy in a toilet's rubbish bin today.

A search has now begun for the mother, who investigators are convinced gave birth in the toilet as the Gulf Air jet flew to the Philippines from Saudi Arabia.

'She appears to have left the aircraft as soon as possible after the plane landed,' said a police officer.

The clean-up team which boarded the plane found the baby as a new flight crew were making plans to fly the plane back to Bahrain.

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Medical staff examine the baby boy found in the bin of a toilet in an aircraft that landed at the Philippines' main international airport

Airline crew have all chipped in to buy the youngster clothes. They have named him George Francis based on Gulf Air¿s airline code 'GF'.

Doctors at the international airport rushed to the plane and began checking the new-born baby and decided that he was in good health.

Airport photographs saw the baby, wrapped in a towel while doctors warmed in him up under a light bulb.

Officials at the airport said they had named the child George Francis - based on Gulf Air's airline code, GF - as efforts began to find the mother.

'As soon as Gulf Air Flight 154 landed she hurried from the aircraft and left the terminal building,' said an official.

'We haven't been able to determine the nationality of the child at this stage - whether her mother or parents are from Saudi Arabia or the Philippines.' 

Authorities said they were baffled as to how the woman had managed to conceal the in-flight birth from other passengers and return to her seat without drawing attention to herself.

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