By Tara Rippin • Published: 24 Nov 2020 • 15:40
A British Diplomat hailed a hero has been honoured as a way of thanks after rescuing after Chinese student from a river.
Stephen Ellison, the consul-general in Chongqing, was given a jinqi, a crimson velvet banner with gold tassels traditionally given in gratitude after he jumped in to pull the 24-year-old student to safety when she slipped on rocks and fell into the water.
The banner bore the words “jumping into the water to save people, righteous and courageous”.
Footage shared on TikTok captured the incident, with onlookers panicking at the sight of the young woman seemingly losing consciousness facedown in the waters of a scenic spot.
While everyone else screams in fright, Elison, 61, quickly takes off his shoes and jumps in.
He reaches the student and grabs hold of her before being tossed a life ring.
The British Embassy immediately tweeted that they were ‘immensely proud’ of Elison for his heroic act.
We are all immensely proud of our Chongqing Consul General, Stephen Ellison, who dived into a river on Saturday to rescue a drowning student and swim her to safety. pic.twitter.com/OOgXqsK5oe — UK in China 🇬🇧 (@ukinchina) November 16, 2020
We are all immensely proud of our Chongqing Consul General, Stephen Ellison, who dived into a river on Saturday to rescue a drowning student and swim her to safety. pic.twitter.com/OOgXqsK5oe
— UK in China 🇬🇧 (@ukinchina) November 16, 2020
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Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region. She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990. Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.
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