A resident of the Kromme Waal saved an unconscious man on Friday night by jumping into the canal behind him.
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“It was a quarter to twelve, I was at home and heard a loud splash,” says Mark Duursma. “I went down and when I was on the side, where some other people were, I immediately saw: this is not looking good. Then I immediately thought: I have to go after this. It wasn’t even a trade-off. ” Duursma then jumps into the water in his underpants and his t-shirt.
The man was now floating towards two houseboats and, according to Duursma, was clearly unconscious. “His head was only partially visible and did not move.” Then he grabbed the man and swam with him to one of the houseboats. “Two houseboat residents tried to help me get it on the boat, but we couldn’t get it done.”
Duursma was in the water with the man for about five minutes when the police arrived. From the houseboat they pulled him up twice in the houseboat. “It was a very small action,” Duursma remains modest. “But it feels nice though. I think it would have gone wrong otherwise because he would really sink. I’m glad I jumped in, because I wouldn’t have wanted to stay there and drown. ”
It is not known how the man is now.
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