The tragedy occurred on a Kuwait-bound United Airlines jet, which was diverted to London's Heathrow
A mother accidentally smothered her baby daughter to death on a flight after she fell asleep while breastfeeding.
The four-week-old girl was travelling with her Egyptian mother from Washington DC to Kuwait when the tragedy occurred on November 24.
Crew on the United Airlines jet were alerted by the 29-year-old mother's screams.
A doctor travelling on the plane tried unsuccessfully to revive the baby.
The plane, which was over the Atlantic at 33,000ft, was diverted to London's Heathrow airport just before 10am, where police boarded.
The baby girl was rushed to Hillingdon Hospital, a spokesman told the Daily Mail.
However she was pronounced dead on arrival at 10.35am.
Three days later a post-mortem was performed on her at the Great Ormond St Hospital in London.
Police are still awaiting the results of that. In the meantime, the spokesman said, the death is being treated as 'unexplained'.
No arrests have been made in the tragic incident.
A police source told The Sun: 'This appears to be a tragic accident. The girl comes from a loving family.
'Her mum was going to Kuwait to show her to relatives.'
A mother breastfeeds her baby (posed by model). Experts have countered against breastfeeding a baby in bed, where mothers can fall asleep - as the mother aboard the United flight did
It is not known if the woman was travelling with anyone other than her child.
Officers from Scotland Yard's Child Abuse Investigation Team are now dealing with the incident.
The dos and don'ts of breastfeeding, according to the National Childbirth Trust:
Do try to support his back, shoulders and neck. He should be able to tilt his head back easily. And he shouldn't have to reach out to feed.
Do make sure your baby gets a big mouthful of breast from underneath the nipple.
Don't worry if your baby pauses while breast feeding. This is normal.
Do change position slightly once your baby is attached if you are uncomfortable.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. The National Breastfeeding Helpline is 0300 100 0212.
In 2004, Briton Lisa Briggs smothered her baby as they slept less than three years after losing another child to a similar tragedy.
Miss Briggs, 23, fell asleep while feeding five-week-old Keitha and woke in the morning to find her lifeless by her side.
Miss Briggs had lost her four-week-old daughter Cerese in identical circumstances.
However the Royal College of Midwives said in 2006 there are some benefits for breastfeeding mothers to share a bed with their babies, and a blanket message advising them not to do it could be counter-productive.
Melanie Every, a regional manager for the Royal College, said: 'We know that there are many, many cultures and many, many women who will continue to share beds with their babies, even when they are advised not to do it.
'Now, knowing that, it's important to give them advice on the safest possible way of doing it, rather than just saying don't do it.'
Babies can die of suffocation when their airways are obstructed by lying against their mother - a phenomenon known as 'overlying'.
Source:dailymail.co.uk/
