Chinese tourists praised for stopping runaway bus

Sun, who speaks fluent Korean, called the emergency services on the driver's phone while others continued chest compressions.

"Within a minute or two, he had no pulse and had stopped breathing — likely a heart attack," Sun said. "We did everything we could, but unfortunately, we could not save him."

Yonhap News Agency reported that the driver was found in cardiac arrest and rushed to a hospital, where he died about two hours later despite resuscitation attempts. Police are still investigating the exact cause of death.

Both Sun and Du said that they were deeply saddened by the driver's death despite their efforts.

Du said that the incident could have taken more lives. "Luckily, traffic was light at the time, so no other vehicles were involved."

The passengers, who were all bound for the airport, flagged down another bus to continue their journey.

Sun and Du said they were able to grasp the full gravity of the situation later. "In the moment, I just acted on instinct," Du said. "But once I reached the airport, I was terrified. I'm just grateful we stopped the bus in time and no one was hurt."

Sun said: "Looking back, I'm quite shaken. It felt like something out of a TV drama. There was barely time to think."

When asked about the outpouring of praise on Chinese and South Korean social media, Du said: "This was something I could step up for. If I hadn't been there, someone else would have done the same."

"Chinese people are united and always ready to help. That's our nature," she added.

Sun said the rescue was a collective effort. "It wasn't just one person. One passenger located the emergency brake, several assisted with CPR and everyone cooperated. In a crisis, the support of compatriots is truly heartwarming."

The story has sparked widespread admiration online. "In a foreign country, with a language barrier, staying so calm and acting so fast is remarkable," a South Korean netizen wrote.

Chinese users likewise praised the group after they shared their experience on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn