British diplomat hailed as a hero after saving Chinese woman from fast flowing river

Originally from Newcastle, Mr Ellison has lived in China for nine years and worked as an engineer for three decades

A British diplomat has been hailed as a hero in China after he jumped into a fast flowing river and saved the life of a young woman who was unconscious in the water.

Stephen Ellison, the newly appointed British Consul General in Chongqing, was visiting the ancient town of Zhongshan on Saturday when a 24-year-old woman is understood to have slipped while taking photographs.

The 61-year-old, who is also a champion triathlete, quickly removed his shoes before entering the water and rescuing the tourist, grabbing a life ring and pulling her to shore.

The dramatic mission was filmed by concerned onlookers and the footage has been widely shared on Chinese social media, with commentators calling Mr Ellison a “hero” a “role model” and “uncle” — a phrase used to show respect.

"She was unconscious, she was not breathing and for a short time we feared the worst. But as we got back to the side, she started breathing again," Mr Ellison told the BBC of the rescue, which took place on Saturday morning.

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

The young woman is understood to be from Wuhan and attends Chongqing University. She is recovering from her ordeal, and reports suggest that her family has invited Mr Ellison for dinner as a gesture of thanks.

Originally from Newcastle, Mr Ellison has lived in China for nine years and has worked as an engineer for three decades.

The father-of-two is a keen skier, and cyclist, and once rode a motorcycle through the Himalayas.

Last year, he was the top for his age group at the Beijing International Triathlon.

Between 2014 and 2018, he worked at the Department of International Trade of the British Embassy in China as Minister Counsellor.

Social media from the consulate in Chongqing only announced Mr Ellison’s appointment as Consul General last week.

Videos from the incident in Zhongshan show the woman, fully clothed in a pink top and blue trousers, face down in the water, floating downstream. 

Bystanders scream, but Mr Ellison rushes to the rocky riverbank, removes his shoes and jumps feet first into the water, his clothes and watch still on.

The pair are pulled downstream by a strong current, but someone on the shore throws a life ring attached to a rope, which Mr Ellison secures.

After a struggle, the young woman was lifted onto the riverside, where she regained consciousness.

The whole incident lasted around two minutes and afterwards, Mr Ellison was offered fresh clothes and a warm drink by locals.

The British Embassy in China tweeted this morning: “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.”