Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

A deliveryman in Hangzhou, China, jumped more than 10m from a bridge into the waters of the Qiantang River to save a drowning woman who had attempted suicide.

The 31-year-old man, Peng Qinglin, is a driver for China-based shopping platform Meituan.

According to China Daily, Peng was riding his e-bike across the bridge on his way to deliver an order, when he heard a call for help.

He responded immediately, removing his glasses and shoes, and setting aside his phone, before jumping into the water to save her.

The video of his valiant rescue attempt has since gone viral on social media.

@mothershipsg That’s like an olympic dive #sgnews #tiktoksg #tiktokchina #rescue ♬ Epic Inspiration - DM Production

Faced his fears

In an interview conducted after Peng's heroic feat on June 14, he admitted that he had to face his fears when contemplating whether to jump.

"I realised how high up I was, and I became too scared to jump... but I saw the woman in the water," he shared.

"So I had no choice but to jump. If I didn't jump, she would die, and wouldn't that render all the efforts leading up to that point futile?"

Once he landed in the water, Peng said he felt an uncomfortable sensation of "a lot of water going from his mouth into his nose".

However, he rationalised that since he made the jump, he definitely had to save the woman.

So Peng swam over and tugged the drowning lady towards him, before attempting to pull her towards the bridge pier and to safety.

Picked up by a speedboat

According to Chengshi, a subsidiary of Hangzhou-based paper Dushi Kuaibao, local police were alerted to the incident at 1:08pm, and a police speedboat was dispatched.

Police on the bridge threw down a lifebuoy for the pair to use, and crew from the approaching speedboat subsequently assisted in their rescue.

The rescued woman, a 29-year-old from Guangzhou, admitted that she had wanted to end her life because "life's stresses were too overwhelming".

She also cried, saying she never expected anyone would come to save her.

Later, she expressed her gratitude to Peng, whom she said had "snatched her back from the jaws of hell" and "given her a new lease on life".

After being brought aboard the speedboat, the pair was then taken to a local hospital.

Injuries

According to China Daily, Peng suffered a compression fracture in his spine from the jump.

As a result, he had to be hospitalised for seven to 10 days.

Recognised as a hero

Dushi Kuaibao reported that Peng was awarded a first-class public order honour medal by the police department, and a cash reward of more than S$5,600.

Peng's delivery company, Meituan, also rewarded his efforts by granting him the title of "Pioneer Rider" and more than S$9,300 in cash.

Many online users admired Peng's bravery and deemed him as a hero.

A particular commenter opined, "Heroes are not those who are without fear, but those who would bravely risk their lives in the face of fear and death."

Top screenshot from video from China Daily on Weibo.