Torrential Rain Strikes Dianbai; Stranded Civilian Rescued by Water Robot

At 9:00 a.m. on June 17, heavy rainfall caused rapid flooding in Hewang Village, Diancheng Town, Dianbai District, Maoming City, Guangdong Province. A local resident became trapped in the middle of a swollen river, facing urgent danger. Upon receiving the distress call, the Diancheng Fire Rescue Station dispatched two fire trucks and an 11-member team of firefighters to the scene immediately.

By 9:40 a.m., rescue personnel arrived. Reconnaissance revealed the victim—visibly distraught but unharmed—stuck approximately 20 meters from the riverbank in the turbulent current. With water depth reaching about 2 meters and fast-flowing rapids posing imminent risks of displacement, commanders opted for a “live bait rescue” strategy.

Under safety rope protocols and close coordination with teammates, one firefighter acted as a decoy, leveraging a waterborne rescue robot to carve through the raging current toward the stranded individual. Once alongside the victim, the firefighter promptly secured them in a whitewater life jacket. Using a controlled towing maneuver, supported by shore-based teammates pulling in unison, the team successfully brought the civilian to safety. The entire operation lasted roughly 20 minutes.

The water rescue robot proved instrumental in this mission, enabling effective navigation through hazardous currents while ensuring the safety of both rescuers and the trapped individual.
(Source: Guangzhou Daily)