This is the heroic moment a brave police officer jumped off a 130ft bridge to save a drowning woman.

Third Warrant Officer Richard Ojanama Sangama of the Peruvian police rescued the distressed 40-year-old woman in the Nanay River, Loreto, Peru on May 14.

Footage shows the officer leaping off the bridge to retrieve the individual back to land.

They successfully returned to the riverbank, walking away as if nothing had happened. This prompted onlookers to applaud the courageous act of the official.

According to local media reports, the woman had been sitting on the edge of the bridge when she fell in, but later reports suggest that she may have jumped intentionally.

The police officer said: 'These types of cases must be handled with great patience; dialogue with the emotionally affected person is important so that they do not take actions that threaten their life.

'I approached her and began to talk to her about herself so that she could reflect on that, but after a few seconds, she jumped into the river, and I did not hesitate to go to her aid,' he added.

Local media reported that both the woman and the police officer were injured as a result of hitting the water so hard and from the high landing.