Around 12:30 on 17/3, Ha, 48 years old, residing in Phu Hung village, Huong Khe commune (formerly part of Huong Khe district), was with a friend driving a pickup truck to Tiem river dam in Truong Son village. As they livestreamed the dam and surrounding mountains on Facebook, the two men noticed a male student struggling in the water, about 300 meters away.

Ha immediately ran to the scene, jumped into the dam, and within a few minutes, rescued 14-year-old student Le Bao Loc, a grade 8 student at Phu Gia Secondary School, who was drowning. After bringing him ashore and administering first aid, Ha took the victim to the Huong Khe commune health station for a check-up.

Bao Loc stated that earlier that day, he went bird hunting at Tiem river dam with a friend. Due to the hot weather, he went down to the dam's downstream area to cool off, but unfortunately suffered a cramp, leading to drowning. At that time, his friend was on the bank and, being nearsighted, did not notice the incident.

Tran Quoc Bao, Chairman of Huong Khe Commune People's Committee, said that the incident was detected promptly via the livestream, allowing the student to be rescued immediately, and his health is now stable. "The authorities recognize the quick thinking and crisis management skills of the two citizens. This act deserves commendation and should be widely promoted within the community," Bao said.

Tiem river dam is nestled in a mountainous, forested area. Its clear water is 2-4 meters deep, with some sections deeper, and features a wide basin surrounded by trees, often attracting people to cool off on hot days. The spot where the student encountered trouble has a rocky area and is deeper than one meter.

Duc Hung