Alfie still alive 9 hrs after tube out (4)

(ANSA) - Rome, April 24 - Terminally ill British toddler Alfie Evans is still alive nine hours after his breathing tube was removed, sources close to his family said Tuesday. Alfie, who is now an Italian citizen, was taken off the respirator at 22:30 British time Monday (23:30 Italian).
    His parents Tom Evans and Kate James gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation all night after he was taken off life support, the sources said.
    Diplomatic contacts are ongoing with the aim of putting Alfue back on life support, sources said.
    Alfie is still breathing but will need "help" to continue to do so "in a couple of hours", his father Tom told the media Tuesday. This was not what doctors had expected, he said outside a Liverpool hospital.
    "They said he was suffering but instead he is not suffering even without the respirator," said Tom Evans.
    He added that Alfie had not had water or food for six hours but was then hydrated by medics.
    Alfie's mother Kate James is sleeping with him, Tom Evans said. Alfie was later put back on oxygen and water, his mother Kate James said. She added: "It doesn't matter what happens, he has already shown that the doctors are wrong". Kate James said "it is surprising".