Hero curry house waiter saves choking customer’s life with the Heimlich manoeuvre

Hero curry house waiter saves choking customer’s life with the Heimlich manoeuvre

  • Sheakh Rifat, 24, saved Jake Snelling as he struggled to breath and turned red
  • Diner started choking on curry at Indian restaurant in Bangor, Wales, on Sunday
  • CCTV shows Sheakh grabbing Jake around waist and jerking his body upwards
  • The customer later said: ‘I couldn’t breathe at all. It was so lucky Rifat was there’

This is the moment a hero curry house waiter saves a choking customer’s life with the Heimlich manoeuvre.

Sheakh Rifat, 24, leapt into action when diner Jake Snelling was struggling to breathe and turned red at the Indian restaurant in Bangor, northwest Wales. 

The customer was with friends when he started to choke on his curry in the Bangor Tandoori Restaurant on Sunday.

CCTV footage shows Sheakh grabbing Jake around the waist from behind before jerking his body upwards, dislodging a piece of food that had become stuck. 

Sheakh Rifat (pictured above), 24, leapt into action when diner Jake Snelling was struggling to breathe and turned red at the Indian restaurant in Bangor, northwest Wales

The waiter, who is known as Rifat, said: 'When he was rescued, he came to me hugged me and they all gave me a round of applause - it was a good feeling' (pictured: still from CCTV)

The waiter, who is known as Rifat, said: ‘When he was rescued, he came to me hugged me and they all gave me a round of applause – it was a good feeling’ (pictured: still from CCTV)

A grateful and relieved Jake then returned to finish his meal with his friends.

Recalling the incident, the waiter who is known as Rifat said: ‘To be honest it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

‘The best thing is this guy is saved – it gave me so much pleasure.

‘When he was rescued, he came to me hugged me and they all gave me a round of applause – it was a good feeling.’

Jake told BBC Radio Wales: ‘I’d been with some friends, we’d just been up to the mountains for the weekend to do some exploring.

‘We were feeling quite proud of ourselves and thought we would treat ourselves to a curry.

CCTV footage shows Sheakh grabbing Jake around the waist from behind before jerking his body upwards

Sheakh seen rushing to the customer's aid

CCTV footage shows Sheakh grabbing Jake around the waist from behind before jerking his body upwards, dislodging a piece of food that had become stuck

Jake's friends clapping after the incident. Jake said: All was going well, food was lovely, great atmosphere, and then disaster struck. I couldn't breathe at all. It was so lucky Rifat was there'

Jake’s friends clapping after the incident. Jake said: All was going well, food was lovely, great atmosphere, and then disaster struck. I couldn’t breathe at all. It was so lucky Rifat was there’

The waiter seen handing water to a grateful and relieved Jake after the incident, before he returned to finish his meal with his friends

The waiter seen handing water to a grateful and relieved Jake after the incident, before he returned to finish his meal with his friends

‘All was going well, food was lovely, great atmosphere, and then disaster struck. I couldn’t breathe at all. It was so lucky Rifat was there.’

Restaurant owner Mustakim Raza said: ‘The main thing is the gentleman is very safe and well now.

‘I’ve spoken to him on several occasions – he’s really grateful. He (Rifat) knew somehow how to perform that technique – it’s really great what he’s done.’