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Shocking GoPro footage shows moment woman spots man drowning in waterfall before saving his life

Home> News> World News

Published 13:59 17 Mar 2025 GMT

Shocking GoPro footage shows moment woman spots man drowning in waterfall before saving his life

Farah Putri Mulyani saved the man's life and captured it all on camera, which is some serious multi-tasking

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

A holidaymaker is being hailed as a hero after she rushed to the rescue of a man she spotted drowning in Sri Lanka.

Farah Putri Mulyani even managed to capture the entirety of her life-saving act on camera too, which I'm sure you would all agree is some serious multi-tasking.

Take a look at this:

Farah was enjoying a dip at Diyaluma Falls in Sri Lanka on 4 February during a two-week trip to the country and was vlogging her experience on a GoPro when she heard the frantic screams of a group of friends.

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The incredible footage shows the moment the 39-year-old realised that someone was in distress and, without hesitation, she dived below the surface to help.

She swam into the depths of the murky water at the beauty spot and spotted the outstretched arms of a man who was seriously struggling to stay afloat.

Farah then dragged the 'almost lifeless' bloke up to the surface, later explaining that she grabbed onto his arm and 'pulled him up' while using her other limb to swim upwards.

"With my left hand I grabbed his left wrist then I locked my elbow under his armpit and I started kicking," she said. "He was almost lifeless, so it was easier to kick and move upwards."

In an Instagram post detailing her valiant actions, she explained she 'doesn't recommend' using this method, but was acting on 'instinct' while 'calculating other factors'.

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Farah wrote: "I know I was not following the official lifeguard technique, but the victim was almost lifeless and at the deep end when I saw him.

Farah Putri Mulyani, 39, didn't think twice before rushing to the drowning man's aid (SWNS)
Farah Putri Mulyani, 39, didn't think twice before rushing to the drowning man's aid (SWNS)

"Neck grab would be my first response if someone was actively struggling and near the surface," she continued. "We have to read a situation objectively despite the rule book!"

About 22 seconds after rushing to his aid, the travel content creator, entrepreneur and linguist from Kuala Lumpur managed to haul the spluttering man up to the surface.

Three of his pals were heard saying 'thank you, thank you' to Farah as they helped their friend onto dry land at Diyaluma Falls, which is the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka.

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Although she has been branded a hero by bystanders and social media users alike, the 39-year-old says she isn't interested in the glory which comes with saving someone's life.

Still, it hasn't stopped people flooding her with praise and applause in the comment section of her posts, while people also commended her camera skills.

"With one hand grasping the cam? Level: Hard. Respect," one person said.

"Damn that's impressive," another wrote. "Saving someone drowning is the hardest job cause they always pull you down with them."

A third added: "Respect to this real life wonder woman."

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She captured the extraordinary rescue on her GoPro (SWNS)
She captured the extraordinary rescue on her GoPro (SWNS)

And a fourth chimed in: "What bravery Farah! Mad respect!"

Instead, Farah hopes her brave act will encourage change in Sri Lanka and across the world, as she urged officials to implement more safety measures at natural attractions.

"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."

Farah explained that she has witnessed similar incidents take place all over the globe on her travels and reckons that they all stem from a lack of personal preparedness and systemic safety measures.

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She said: "In many places swimming isn't encouraged or accessible, leading to a lack of water survival skills and awareness of natural hazards.

"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."

The courageous holidaymaker is now preparing a formal proposal for the Sri Lankan government, which calls for better safety measures at waterfalls.

She managed to haul the bloke up to the surface in just over 20 seconds (SWNS)
She managed to haul the bloke up to the surface in just over 20 seconds (SWNS)

She proposed erecting warning signs which highlight dangers such as depth levels, currents and safe swimming zones.

Farah hopes her rescue will highlight the prevalence of this problem at swimming spots across the globe, saying this incident 'showed the problem first hand'.

"But the real test is what happens next," she added. "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."

In a post shared to her Instagram, Farah explained that the incident 'changed the tone of her trip', while warning other travellers what to be wary of.

She said: "I think more people should be aware of waterfall hazards cos the pool can drop so deep and there’s no current underneath to help you swim! If you’re not a swimmer, this puts you in even more danger!

"Admittedly, I’ve been in reflective mode since. And coincidentally, this happened on Sri Lanka’s Freedom Day!"

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: World News, Travel, Viral, Health

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

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@livburke_

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