Egypt mourns 22-year-old hero who died after saving 13 students from drowning

Dubai: Egypt is mourning the loss of a young man whose final moments were marked by extraordinary courage and selflessness. Hassan Ahmed El Gazzar, a 22-year-old from the village of Meniel Doweib in Menoufia, sacrificed his life after rescuing 13 university girls from certain death when their minibus overturned into a river in Sinai.

According to his grieving father, the tragedy began when a tyre on the minibus carrying the students suddenly burst, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and plunge into the water. Witnessing the accident, Hassan rushed immediately to the scene. Despite not being able to swim, he threw himself into the river, forced open the rear door of the submerged vehicle and pulled the girls out one by one until all 13 were safely rescued, local media reported.

Exhausted after the immense physical and emotional effort, Hassan lost strength and drowned, bringing a heroic but heartbreaking end to his final act of bravery. He had travelled to Sinai in search of work to support his young family, leaving behind three daughters who are now without a provider.

Speaking through tears of pain and pride, his father said, “My son died a hero, and I am proud of him.” He added that Hassan did not hesitate for a moment to risk his own life to save others, even though he could not swim. The tragedy struck just two days before Hassan’s birthday. His father revealed that he had already prepared a birthday cake and was on his way to see him when the devastating news arrived.

In one of his final conversations, Hassan had expressed a longing to see his mother, words that now weigh heavily on the hearts of his family.

Hassan’s father has called on the authorities to officially honour his son and provide financial support for his widow and daughters. “The least that can be done is to care for his girls, who lost their father in a moment that touched millions of hearts”, he said.

On social media, thousands of users have demanded that Hassan be awarded a national medal of honour and recognised as a martyr, praising his sacrifice, which spared dozens of families from unimaginable loss.