Watch: Split-second catch saves child falling from balcony

Dubai: A young Egyptian man has been hailed for a split-second rescue after catching a five-year-old boy who fell from a balcony in Giza, in a dramatic moment captured on video.

Ahmed Ragab was standing near a shop in the Ard El-Lewa area when he became aware that a child was in danger above him.

Within seconds, the boy fell.

Video of the incident shows Ragab rushing towards the falling child and catching him in his arms just before he could hit the ground.

The footage spread rapidly across social media in Egypt, drawing widespread praise for Ragab’s quick reaction.

Ragab later said he had been out buying something when he heard shouting and crying and looked towards the building.

He said everything happened so quickly that he had no time to consider whether he would be able to reach the child.

“I didn't think about myself,” Ragab told Al Hadath as he recounted the rescue.

He said he moved instinctively because he could not simply stand by and watch a child fall without trying to save him.

Ragab said he managed to catch the five-year-old before he struck the ground, but only realised the enormity of what had happened after the boy was safe.

Ragab’s presence of mind praised

In another interview, Ragab said he still could not explain how he had managed to move quickly enough to make the catch.

He said that even if the incident were repeated 100 times, he did not believe he could necessarily reproduce the timing of the rescue.

Other reports said another child in the street had pointed upwards, helping alert Ragab to the danger.

The rescue was captured by cameras and the footage quickly went viral, with social media users praising Ragab’s presence of mind.

Ragab, however, played down suggestions that he was a hero, saying his only concern in those few seconds was preventing the child from hitting the ground.

He also urged parents to keep a close watch on young children and warned against placing chairs or other objects near balconies and windows that children could climb on.