Photos: Firefighters rescue brother drowning in China oil spill

By FireRescue1 Staff

DALIAN, China — A series of dramatic photos show firefighters risking their lives to rescue a brother drowning in China’s worst ever oil spill.

Crude oil started pouring into the Yellow Sea late last week after a pipeline exploded and the slick has since spread across a 70-square-mile stretch of ocean.

Media outlets reported that two firefighters were fixing an underwater pump during cleanup operations Tuesday when they became submerged in the thick slick.

Seeing their brothers drowning in a sea of oil, fellow firefighters began rescue attempts that were captured on camera by Greenpeace.

State-run media reported that one firefighter was rescued from the sludge Tuesday but a second drowned. It is not know which of the firefighters are pictured in the photos.