from drowning.

Chit Das was spotted lying face down in the water at the Belmont ferry dock yesterday and was rescued by a Canadian who, by luck, was waiting to take a ferry across to Hamilton.

Juraj Pivovarov, 23, was the only other person at the dock when the incident happened, at 3 p.m. He dived in and dragged the man out, and together with a passerby, managed to revive him.

"I saw someone sitting on the edge of the dock, then I heard a splash and saw the man lying face down in the water,'' he said.

"I jumped in, he looked dead. I pulled him from the water and someone else helped me pull him up the stairs. We put him on his stomach and started pumping, water came out of his mouth and he started breathing.'' Mr. Das was taken by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and immediately transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. His condition last night was described as satisfactory.

Earlier Police issued an urgent appeal to the public as the identity of Mr.

Das, who lives on Harbour Road, was not known. Marine Police were called to the incident and a woman passerby accompanied Mr. Das to hospital.

Chief Inspector Sinclair White said it was extremely lucky that Mr. Pivovarov, of Calgary, Alberta, was waiting for a ferry at the time of the incident.

The young man is staying with friends at Longford Road, Warwick.

Juraj Pivovarov Graphic file name: KIDHERO