Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

A taxi driver tragically died while saving the life of a drowning teenage schoolgirl who jumped into a river after her teacher confiscated her mobile phone.

Cabbie Tang Chao, aged 36, is now being mourned and honoured as a hero following the tragic events in the city of Suining in China’s south-western Sichuan Province.

Tang and a second taxi driver, Huang Xiaohong, leapt into the Quhe River after witnesses spotted the victim, aged 13, floating on the surface of the river.

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According to reports, the schoolgirl’s phone had been confiscated by a teacher and she got herself drunk before attempting suicide by drowning.

Footage from 15th March shows Tang swimming towards the seemingly lifeless schoolgirl, with Huang removing his shirt and jumping in after him.

Huang was able to carry the girl to the safety of the opposite riverbank, but Tang disappeared under the surface of the water, his body only retrieved 14 hours later.

He is believed to have drowned as a result of fatigue during the intense rescue.

Huang later revealed: “It was only after [Tang] pushed the girl into my arms that I was able to grab her and pull her onto the riverbank.”

The teenage girl was taken to hospital and is not believed to be in any life-threatening condition.

A public funeral service was held for Tang on 20th March which was attended by several hundred members of the public who are mourning him as a national hero.

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The service continued with hundreds of taxis hooting simultaneously around the city and carrying banners with Tang’s name of them.

A candlelight vigil was held in the evening.

Tang is survived by a wife and son, who is still in primary school.