This is the dramatic moment a heroic female tourist saved a man from drowning after spotting him struggling underwater at a Sri Lankan beauty spot.
Farah Putri Mulyani was enjoying a swim at Diyaluma Falls last month and capturing the experience on her GoPro camera for a travel vlog when she heard screams nearby.
The frightening footage shows the 39-year-old rushing to help, pulling the nearly lifeless man, who had been struggling underwater, to the surface.
She can be seen diving underneath the water, grabbing the man by his wrist and using her free arm and legs to quickly swim upwards.
Farah, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, now wants to use her terrifying experience to push for change, urging authorities to implement safety measures at natural attractions in a bid to avoid similar incidents in future.
‘I don’t want this to just be another heroic story where people applaud me and that’s the end of it’, she said. ‘This has to lead to real change. The government has a duty to warn people about potential dangers.’
Recalling the rescue, she added: ‘With my left hand I grabbed his left wrist then I locked my elbow under his armpit and I started kicking.
‘He was almost lifeless so it was easier to kick and move upwards.’
Farah Putri Mulyani wants to use her terrifying experience to push for change, urging authorities to implement safety measures at natural attractions in a bid to avoid similar incidents in future
The 39-year-old was enjoying a swim at Diyaluma Falls last month and capturing the experience on her GoPro camera for a travel vlog
She was filming at the beauty spot when she heard screaming nearby and rushed to help
The footage captured the moment she spotted the man underneath the murky waters
She described how she grabbed him and used her free arm and legs to frantically reach the surface
The footage captured the man hugging his friends after the terrifying ordeal
Farah could be seen supporting the man as he caught his breath at the surface
She then turned back to her viewers to discuss the terrifying incident
Farah is now preparing a proposal to hand over to the Sri Lankan government, calling for better safety measures at waterfalls
She added that she has seen similar incidents happen around the globe, and believes they happen because there are gaps in safety measures and the individual preparedness of tourists.
She is now preparing a proposal to hand over to the Sri Lankan government, calling for better safety measures at waterfalls, starting with signs which outline the depth levels, currents and safe swimming areas.
‘In many places swimming isn’t encouraged or accessible, leading to a lack of water survival skills and awareness of natural hazards’, she said.
‘When you combine that with a lack of safety measures at high-risk locations, it creates the perfect storm.
‘Drowning isn’t just about ‘bad luck. If people knew where the deep areas are, if there are clear visible warnings many of these incidents wouldn’t happen at all.
‘This rescue showed the problem first hand. But the real test is what happens next.
‘I hope this story sparks a conversation, and I’d be happy to work with authorities to develop clear, intuitive safety measures that could save lives.’
‘If Sri Lanka acts now, it has the chance to set a global example in waterfall safety, showing the world, it values human life.’
