This Saudi student risked his life to save a stranger from drowning in Australia

A young Saudi man has been hailed a hero after saving a stranger from drowning in Australia's Yarra River. 

Last week, Ahmed Almohaimeed, who is in his twenties, risked his life to save a stranger who fell into the river after suffering a suspected heart attack.

"I didn't think so much about myself," Almohaimeed told 9NEWS, adding that he would "would do it again."

According to  target="_blank">Sabq news site, Almohaimeed is pursuing a masters degree in accounting at Monash University.

Saudi daily Okaz reports that Almohaimeed was walking around the Yarra River in Melbourne when he noticed the 55-year-old man drowning in the river. Almohaimeed thus jumped into the water in an attempt to assist the man, who is suspected to have suffered from a heart attack.

Dubbed as "The Good Samaritan" and "The Yarra Hero" target="_blank"> by Australian media, Almohaimeed jumped in without thinking twice about his own safety, undeterred by the fact that the river is home to freshwater sharks, according to Okaz.

Despite Almohaimeed's attempts, the drowning man was too heavy, so emergency services had to interfere and pull both men to safety.

Almohaimeed was then rushed to the hospital barely conscious after ingesting large amounts of water. However, he has since left the hospital and is reportedly in good health.

Meanwhile, the other man remains in a critical condition.

Saudi social media users have hailed Almohaimeed as a hero, expressing their pride in his courage:

"#Ahmed_Almohaimeed Saudi hero saves a drowning man in Australia. Our pride." 

"We are proud of the Saudi expat #Ahmed_Almohaimeed who risked his life to save a man in his fifties from drowning in Australia.  Because of his courage, he has been called #The_Yarra_River_Hero."

While Arabs and Muslims are often negatively portrayed in Western media, it is always refreshing to hear such positive stories.

Still, some media outlets continue to avoid casting Arabs and Muslims in a positive light.

For instance, the British Daily Mail reported Almohaimeed's story without mentioning his name or nationality. Throughout the post, Almohaimeed is only referred to as a "hero" and "The Good Samaritan in his 20s," which raises several questions about the publication's intentions.