Watch how this awesome Malaysian girl rescues a sinking canoe

There's not much information about this video, except that it was filmed in Mabul, a small island off the coast of Sabah in Malaysia that has approximately 2,000 inhabitants. The girl is Bajau Laut, an indigenous ethnic group in Southeast Asia. They've been called "sea gypsies" – a term that refers to their nomadic, seafaring history.

This spunky young girl definitely knows the water. And judging from her confidence and execution, there's no way this is her first canoe-rescuing rodeo.

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?