Xiaoen first would be transported from Enshi to Yichang, located between Enshi and Wuhan, by ambulance, then switch to a medical rescue helicopter there and fly to Wuhan.

The race to save the baby's life started on Saturday afternoon.

At 1:01 pm, the medical rescue helicopter left Wuhan for Yichang. In Enshi, Xiaoen boarded the ambulance headed for the same place at 1:30 pm, accompanied by a group of medical workers from central hospital of Enshi.

At 3:28 pm, the helicopter landed safely in the Gaojiayan highway service area, where it would pick up the critically ill baby. At 3:49 pm, escorted by a police car, the ambulance also arrived at the pickup spot.

No emergency situation occurred until the moment Xiaoen was lifted to the helicopter. His oxygen saturation plummeted 60 percent and his heart rate decreased to 90 beats per minute.

Due to limited space in the helicopter, Xiaoen was temporarily carried back to the ambulance for emergency treatment. The accompanying medical workers suctioned phlegm through his mouth as they tried to insert a cannula in his trachea.