An investigation has been opened into a 20-year-old Nigerian resident in London, Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, who died after jumping into river Thames to rescue a woman who fell from the London Bridge.

Mail Online reports that the woman screamed ‘help me, I can’t swim’ to the onlookers who did not make any attempt or effort to rescue her, until Folajimi jumped into the Thames.

The publication said that the onlookers cautioned Folajimi to ignore the cries of the woman but he resisted and dived into the Thames.

It was revealed that Marine police rescued the woman and one of the two men, but the hero drowned which forced authorities to open an inquest into his death at Southwark Coroner’s Court on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on April 24, but sadly the hero drowned in the process.

Another report had it that he and another man, Joaquin Garcia, attempted to swim 40 metres to retrieve the panicking woman, but the hero then got into trouble himself.

Assistant Coroner Dr Julian Morris told the court that Nigerian-born Folajimi was on his way home from work at a central London restaurant when he began making his way across London Bridge at around midnight.

Reading a witness’ account, Dr Morris said the two men were seen running before shouting: ‘Where are you?’

A woman was then seen in the Thames waving her arms screaming: ‘Help me, help me, I can’t swim!’

Jimi’s father Michael Adewole, 63, and his mother Olasunkanmi Adewole, 54, said they are proud of their son for trying to save another person’s life – but they are devastated by his death.

Folajimi’s death was posthumously put forward for a Royal Humane Society award by City of London Police for his bravery and selfless actions.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.