Chongqing- The video of an elder foreigner who bravely rescued a drowning girl from the river at Zhongshan Ancient Town has gone viral as November 16th.
In the video, a young girl was struggling to stay afloat after she had accidentally fell into the river. Unable to swim, she was in great danger as she began to lose consciousness after choking in the water.
At that moment, a white haired elder foreigner kicked off his shoes and dived into the water. He swam over to the girl and raised her above the surface with one arm.
A witness then threw a life buoy from the riverbank, and helped the elder man successfully rescue the girl from the water.
In response to the incident, the British Consulate General in Chongqing made an official statement through Upstream News.
‘On the morning of November 14th, 61 year old British Consul to Chongqing Mr. Stephen Ellison was visiting Zhongshan Ancient Town when he suddenly heard screams from a crowd who had found a young girl in danger after falling into the water. Mr. Ellison immediately dived into the water and brought the drowning girl safely back to the riverbank with the aid of a witness. As the girl was rescued in time, she recovered consciousness and started breathing again. She is now in good condition.’
Mr. Ellison received the attentive care of local villagers once he climbed out of the water. People brought him hot coffee and dry clothes for him to change into. He also expressed his gratitude for the care local villagers offered him.