Ryunosuke Itatani, left, and Kyosuke Imai are seen holding their letters of appreciation at Wakayama City Fire Department on Sept. 30, 2021. (Mainichi/Hiroko Matsumoto)

       WAKAYAMA -- The local fire department in this west Japan city has given letters of appreciation to two high school students for their bravery in rescuing an elderly man from drowning at a local beach.

       The Wakayama City Fire Department sent the letters to Kyosuke Imai and Ryunosuke Itatani, both 17 years old and second-year students at Wakayama Prefectural Wakayama Technical High School.

       On Aug. 31, the two were swimming in waters off the city's Kataonami beach with other members of their school soccer team when they noticed a woman shouting that her father was drowning. The boys rushed to her, then took a floating tube and swam to the 83-year-old man drowning about 120 meters off the shore. They rescued him by having him grab the tube and pulling him back to shore. The man was later taken to a hospital by ambulance, but reportedly had only minor injuries.

       At the fire department's presentation ceremony, department chief Kusuya Yoshino praised the boys' bravery, saying: "They quickly took notice and went to someone seeking help. It's not easy to perform a rescue swimming more than 100 meters at sea. They made a calm judgment to go and rescue him using a floating tube."

       The two have played soccer at the same club since their junior high school days, and are reportedly very close friends. Imai said, "It was tough carrying him while swimming, but I was relieved to hear he was safe." Itatani reflected: "I saw the man floating face-up, and went ahead without thinking. I was worried if he was all right."

       (Japanese original by Hiroko Matsumoto, Wakayama Bureau)

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