Dalil Hadi rescued a 55-year-old man from drowning in an EDF canal in Salon-de-Provence after the individual leaped from a bridge. The 23-year-old, who plays basketball in the French Nationale 1 division, intervened immediately upon witnessing the fall on Monday, bringing the unconscious man to the bank and administering CPR until emergency responders arrived.
The rescue unfolded quickly following a sudden change of plans for the player. While driving in Salon-de-Provence after leaving practice, Hadi turned his car around to head home, passing a bridge that crosses a local waterway. He spotted a man climbing over the railing and jumping roughly 10 meters down into the water below. The point guard, who previously played for the Elan Béarnais from 2022 to 2025 across 49 matches in Elite 2 and averages 16 points and 5.3 assists this season in N1, had originally intended to drive to Darty in Lamanon after leaving the gym at midday before feeling tired and deciding to turn back.
How did Dalil Hadi execute the rescue in the canal?
Without hesitating, Hadi pulled over, removed his sandals and phone, and dove into the current to reach the struggling individual. The athlete found the 55-year-old unconscious, face-down, and weighed down by a heavy woolen vest. Hadi pulled the man—estimated to weigh between 90 and 100 kilograms—against the current toward a sloped edge of the bank.
🙌 Le geste héroïque de Dalil Hadi !👏 Le meneur du Pays Salonais Basket 13 s'est jeté à l'eau pour sauver un homme de la noyade, avant de lui prodiguer un massage cardiaque.🗣️ "J'avais tellement peur qu'il soit mort dans mes bras !" 💬 Son récit : https://t.co/mBpIaTaQye pic.twitter.com/WryuELWQ3F
— https://x.com/Be_BasketFr/status/2115835459456692700
Remaining partly in the water, Hadi checked for vital signs and initiated chest compressions while calling out for help. The man eventually regained consciousness before firefighters and police arrived at the scene. After running to the edge and looking over the barrier, Hadi dove in while leaving his keys behind, placed the man face-up by going underwater to turn him, and slapped him in an effort to get a reaction while screaming for assistance. A woman from a passing couple descended to support him while her partner called emergency services, and the victim ultimately gasped and expelled water after three to four minutes of chest compressions.
What were the aftermath and local reactions to the intervention?
Following the incident, Hadi shared an account of the rescue on his Instagram account, which quickly garnered widespread attention. Local authorities, including police and firefighters, commended the athlete for his actions.
Speaking with media, Hadi noted that municipal officials later informed him of underwater turbines near the site that posed additional hazards. While the rescued individual expressed distress over surviving the attempt, emergency personnel and local leaders acknowledged the intervention. Hadi later recounted that the rescued man asked why he had been saved and stated it was his choice, to which the player replied that he was sent by God and that the man was close to his father’s age. Salon-de-Provence mayor Nicolas Isnard posted on Instagram on Thursday to praise the act as an incredible display of bravery and courage.
