Moment beachgoers form a human chain to rescue drowning tourist from choppy seas in the Philippines
- A man in his 20s was caught in a powerful tide on Binmaley beach on January 1
- Revellers celebrating the New Year formed a human chain to rescue the man
- The man was pulled to safety and was declared healthy by medics on the beach
This is the heroic moment beachgoers formed a human chain to save a tourist drowning in the sea in the Philippines.
The man in his mid-20s was playing in the waist-deep water when he was knocked over by the powerful waves on the Binmaley beach in Pangasinan province as holidaymakers were celebrating the New Year on January 1.
Onlookers heard his cries for help and immediately banded together to reach the drowning man, who was struggling to stay afloat because of powerful tides.
After the initial attempts were unsuccessful, the chain was formed by scores of tourists
The human chain of heroic beachgoers successfully saved the man from drowning on Binmaley beach in the Philippines
In the footage, the rescuers link hands to form a human chain extending several metres from the shore, while the men at the end of the chain carried a life ring for the imperiled man.
The video shows the harsh waves lashing and pushing back the tourists, who held on to complete the rescue mission in the choppy Lingayen Gulf.
The man was successfully pulled from the water after a few minutes and was carried to the resort’s medical team to receive treatment.
He was seen sitting on the sand as medics checked his condition before declaring him fit and well.
Onlooker Gerald Pring, who recorded the life-saving spontaneous teamwork, said: ‘The guy is safe now. I was amazed by how everyone worked together to save him.
‘The sea looked beautiful but it was also powerful. The waves were strong and he could not get back out to the shore once he was knocked over.’
The chain was formed after several people had entered the powerful tides in order to save the imperiled man
The uneven sea floor of the Lingayen Gulf can lead to unprepared swimmers to misjudge the depth of the water in the Asian archipelago
After the man was spectacularly rescued, he was given the all clear by medics on the beach
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, has notoriously dangerous seas and rip tides on its breathtaking beaches which attract surfers and tourists from around the world.
Conditions are at their most perilous in winter due to windy weather and powerful currents.
Local police have urged tourists to exercise caution when swimming on beaches in the province, following multiple drowning incidents over the years.
The Binmaley Police Station said people may misjudge the depth of the water, as the beaches in the Gulf have an uneven seafloor.