A humble student who dived into the River Wear and dragged a man to safety has insisted he's no hero and acted as anyone else would have done.
Ryan Salem was working at the Riverview Kitchen café in Durham around 5pm on Tuesday (August 18) when a 28-year-old man plunged into the river from the neighbouring Framwellgate Bridge.
The 20-year-old student from Malaysia said he heard shouts and screams and could see the man in difficulty, so rushed to the water's edge and jumped in to help before 999 crews arrived.
The psychology undergraduate, who is going into his third year, said: "I took off my shirt, shoes and socks so they didn't weigh me down and I jumped into the river to see if I could help.
Ryan Salem who rescued someone from the River Wear.
(Image: STUART BOULTON)
"I did it on instinct and without thinking. I didn't do it for any recognition; I did what anyone else would have done.
"By the time I got to the water, the man was fully submerged, and I didn't have any idea where he was."
The Riverview Kitchen where Ryan works.
(Image: STUART BOULTON)
Passersby on the bridge above helped point Ryan towards the man under the water.
"After finally finding him in the river, and then swimming from one side to the other, I was struggling to support the man, and it was lucky someone else had jumped in to help," he added.
"I wasn't able to keep both of our heads above the water, but I got the man to the edge of the river, and people helped him out."
The man was taken to University Hospital North Durham in a serious condition.
Ryan continued: "I was exhausted, so I fell to the floor and was out of it after everyone was out of the water.
The River Wear in Durham.
(Image: STUART BOULTON)
"I saw someone, who I believed to be a retired paramedic, giving the man CPR, so I stepped away and let emergency services take over."
He was able to return to the café where his colleagues had blankets and clothes for him.
"I told my parents about it all," Ryan said. "They said they were proud of me but begged me not to jump into the river again".
A 28-year-old man is in a serious condition in hospital after being pulled from the River Wear off North Road in Durham.
(Image: BRET ROBINSON)
Three days on, Ryan says he's "still processing" what happened.
"There was a lot that happened in such a short space of time," he said.
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"I did my best to give the man a fighting chance. I hope he pulls through. I'm sending him and his family my best wishes, and I've been praying for him."
Pictures showed emergency crews parked up on North Road, meters away from the bridge on Tuesday.
The fire service rescue boat was deployed, alongside police and ambulance presence.