Dai Zhaojun, a ship captain in Shengsi county, Zhoushan was honored at a provincial commendation conference for his heroic acts on Nov 20 in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province.

On April 9, 2019, with the help of his crew members, Dai saved seven fishermen who were trapped on a sinking fishing vessel in a reef-heavy area to the northeast of Gouqi Island.

When Dai noticed a motionless vessel on the radar in the master room of his ship, he could sense something was wrong.

He walked on deck and looked out to sea. Through the thick fog and heavy winds, he caught sight of the ship – it was sinking with seven men on board crying for help.

Dai wasn't one to deliberate. He instantly sprang into action. "Hurry up! We have to save those fishermen," he said to his crew members.

He reported the situation to the authorities and quickly prepared for the rescue operation.

Due to the strong weather, it was difficult to get close to the sinking vessel.

After diligent efforts and a little bit of luck, Dai and his crew members finally made it, though Dai's ship was left with minor hull damage from the 30-minute-long rescue operation.

When asked why he and his crew members risked their lives to save the fishermen, Dai responded: "There's nothing more valuable than a human life. When we saw what was happening, we knew that we had to do something."

Dai Zhaojun, a ship captain in Shengsi county, Zhoushan, saved seven fishermen from a sinking fishing vessel on April 9, 2019. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]