Gratitude poster honors Xinjiang officer who braved flood to save tourists

[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Aketao county public security bureau recently received a 90-centimeter-long poster documenting a life-or-death rescue in about 1,200 words. The token of appreciation narrated a thrilling story from 20 days prior, when rescuers saved trapped tourists during a flood in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

On June 10, heavy rain hit Bag village, Tartajik township, causing floods that trapped Yu and his wife from Xi'an, Shaanxi province in a vehicle in nearly 1-meter-deep water. Around dusk, a local rushed to the Bag police station to report the emergency.

Police officer Rahmanjan Turab and his colleagues rushed to the scene. The sight of the turbulent water almost submerging the car sent his heart into a tailspin. Without hesitation, he plunged into the icy water. After being repeatedly knocked down by the strong current, he clutched the rescue rope and inched towards the trapped vehicle. He secured the safety rope around the trapped tourists' waists and, step by step, waded through chest-high water to bring the two tourists to safety.

Despite the people being rescued, the vehicle was still in danger of being submerged. The officer jumped back into the water to fasten the tow rope to the car. The trapped vehicle was soon hauled ashore by a rescue tractor.

After over four hours of hard work, the people and the car were rescued.

On July 3, the giant poster carrying gratitude traveled 3,000 kilometers to the county. "Our gratitude is beyond words. They are not only our saviors but also the most respectable and beloved individuals in our hearts!"

Yang Che contributed to this story.