Policeman jumps into canal to save drowning man in Ashton-under-Lyne
Written by News on 14/05/2020
A policeman risked his own safety to jump into a canal and save a man from drowning in Greater Manchester during the coronavirus lockdown.
Bodycam footage shows GMP officer PC Briggs plunge into the Ashton Canal in Ashton-under-Lyne just before 5pm on 6 May after spotting a man in distress.
His colleagues were heard shouting “come here”, but the man failed to respond to their calls for him to grab onto a rope so he could be pulled to safety.
PC Briggs decided to jump in the water when he saw him float towards an unlit tunnel and immediately swam towards him.
The pair were then dragged out of the water by a rope and the man was treated by paramedics before being transferred to hospital.
PC Briggs and his colleagues were wearing protective gloves to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, but he decided to risk his own safety and grab hold of the man so he would not drown.
Chief Superintendent Chris Allsop for GMP’s Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside districts said: “As with any incident we respond to, the safety of the public is our number one priority and sometimes that means putting them first, ahead of your own safety.
“Every day our officers and staff go above and beyond to protect the communities we serve and this is certainly a great act of heroism.
“PC Briggs put himself in danger to rescue the man and thanks to his brave and selfless actions, as well as the help of other officers, the man survived and is receiving the support he needs.
“In this current climate, it can be even more difficult to do our jobs safely and I would like to personally commend PC Briggs’s actions which were a prime example of why people join the force – to protect our communities and make sure they are safe from harm.”
(c) Sky News 2020: Policeman jumps into canal to save drowning man in Ashton-under-Lyne
