Hero Hong Kong police officer who made headlines worldwide: ‘I was just doing my duty’
Constable Ifzal Zaffar persuaded a suicidal man to come down from a crane on a construction site in West Kowloon by speaking to him in his native Urdu
A heroic police officer who attracted worldwide praise for successfully talking down a suicidal man from a crane in West Kowloon has told of his shock at becoming an international sensation, insisting he was “just doing his duty”.
Police Constable Ifzal Zaffar made headlines around the world after he climbed up the crane on a construction site near the Western Harbour Tunnel and persuaded the distressed man to come down by reassuring him in Urdu.
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The 20-year-old Hongkonger, whose family hails from Pakistan, was asked to use his native tongue by his commanding officer in a desperate bid to ensure a smooth rescue last Sunday morning .
After speaking to the suicidal man for just 10 minutes, he successfully convinced him to climb down so he could be taken to hospital.
Speaking to the Post at the Police College in Wong Chuk Hang on Thursday after a week of frenzied media attention, he said he was amazed by the public’s reaction to his action .
“I feel really happy for this because I would never expect that,” he said. “I was just doing my duty. I did not expect too much. My family are really happy; they feel proud.