This is the hilarious moment a quick-thinking passenger saved himself - but let his friends crash into a canal.

The trio were riding a motorcycle through a junction when the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming van in Hai Phong, Vietnam, on May 30.

CCTV footage shows how the pillion passenger leapt off when he noticed the motorcycle heading for the edge of the road.

He grabbed onto a bridge railing as the two-wheeler carrying his pals plunged into the dirty water.

Residents later hoisted the drenched pair to safety. They were not seriously injured as the canal in the Vinh Bao district was shallow.

Authorities said the youngsters, three high school students, may face fines for violating several traffic safety regulations.

The minimum age to drive motorcycles under 50cc is 16 in Vietnam.

Under Decree 168/2024, failing to wear a helmet incurs a fine of between 400 ,000 and 600,000 VND (15 to 23 USD). Carrying more than one passenger is also punishable with the same fine.

There were more than 77 million motorcycles - 770 for every 1,000 people - on the roads in Vietnam in September 2024. They are the main mode of transport in the country, primarly due to their low cost.

(1 USD = 26,025 VND)