Foreign and Military Affairs

Woman officer digs out 5 survivors by hand

By Lan Tian (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-18 07:49

Peacekeeper said rescue work is just part of her job on the island

Woman officer digs out 5 survivors by hand

For nine hours after he heard of the earthquake in Haiti, Fang Chuanru was tortured with concern for his wife.

But as soon as she called, Fang's anxiety turned to pride, as his wife, 39-year-old Wang Xueyan, who is serving as a Chinese peacekeeper in Haiti, told the family that she had rescued five local residents from the rubble with her bare hands.

"Her voice is hoarse and tired. We're worried, but also proud of her," her husband was quoted by local media as saying.

In a video clip on China Central Television, standing in front of the collapsed building where she dug out five people, Wang, in her dusty uniform, said it was just her duty to save and help others.

Wang is a police officer from East China's Anhui province who is in Haiti for peacekeeping missions.

She said she was driving with a Canadian policeman named Martin in downtown Port-au-Prince when the 7.3-magnitude quake hit the Caribbean country.

"We were driving and had to stop because of a traffic jam. Suddenly, the car started shaking. Luckily unhurt as we were in an open area at the time, we realized there must be a lot of people in need of our help," Wang said.

A young Haitian man ran toward them saying a building collapsed, burying many people in it. The two immediately rushed to the scene. They climbed on top of the rubble and used a car jack to raise a portion of the debris. With a spade and their hands, they dug out five people and used a door as stretcher to carry out the survivors. One of the survivors is now a guide for the UN peacekeeping troops.

"As a peacekeeper, to save and help others is simply my mission," Wang said.

"This Chinese officer, she saved me. I was inside there the roof fell It was very dangerous at that time. I really appreciate it thanks a lot," an anonymous 30-something male survivor was quoted as saying.

Before stepping on the Caribbean land four months ago, Wang had been a police officer for 21 years in Huainan, Anhui.

She was the first female peacekeeper from the province, one of 51 officers chosen from 640 candidates nationwide in 2006 after passing a series of exams involving English, driving, shooting and a physical performance, Anhui Daily reported.

Hearing about what his mother did in Haiti, her 15-year-old son Fang Tianxing said he's really proud of her.

"I can't help in any way except pray for her. She's always busy with work, which I complain about sometimes, but I know what she gives me is a different kind of mother's love," the boy said.