A 56-year-old taxi driver in Central China's Hubei Province died of a heart attack after rescuing a passenger who had entered a reservoir in an apparent suicide attempt, local authorities said.

Yuan Junbo and his taxi (File photo)

More than 50 taxi drivers formed a motorcade in the city of Jingshan on April 24 to honor Yuan Junbo, two days after his death, according to local reports.

Authorities said the incident occurred around 6 pm on April 22 when Yuan was driving a female passenger to the Huiting Reservoir Dam. He became concerned when noticing she appeared distressed in the car.

After she exited the vehicle and walked into the reservoir, Yuan followed her into the water and pulled her back to shore.

As the two approached the shore, Yuan Junbo suddenly collapsed due to a heart attack and ultimately died despite all efforts to save him.

Yuan had worked as a taxi driver for many years and was known among colleagues for his reliability and helpfulness. He frequently returned lost items such as phones, wallets and luggage to passengers or handed them to his company, according to local accounts. He had been recognized for his outstanding work numerous times by his employer.

"Yuan was a role model for us taxi drivers and the pride of Jingshan," said a colleague, according to local media.

News of his death prompted an outpouring of messages on social media, with users describing him as a hero and praising his final act of rescue.

(Compiled by Yan Yutong, Fu Junjie)