Two failed attempts to save himself after stepping on ice and falling into the water—sports blogger drowns in the Yongding River!

Recently, several swimming bloggers posted videos announcing that "Ants Swimming in the Yongding River," a popular sports blogger known for frequenting the Yongding River Bridge area in Beijing’s Daxing District to swim, had tragically drowned. The videos have sparked widespread attention and heated debate online. While some netizens expressed condolences in tribute, others couldn’t believe how a swimming influencer could have met such an unfortunate end.

Wondering what the neighbors are talking about?

A popular online fitness blogger drowns in the Yongding River.

Once twice, he tried to save himself after falling through the ice—but failed both times.

On February 25, Upstream News reporters learned from multiple sources that the popular fitness blogger "Ant" indeed died after falling into the water while stepping on ice at the Yongding River Bridge on the afternoon of February 10.

Some friends and online users commemorated "Ant" by the river. / Internet image

The bio of a "Ant" account on a certain social media platform reads: "An unemployed wanderer who loves swimming whenever I have time—and I’m especially good at freestyle!" The account’s most recent video was posted on February 9, and there have been no updates since.

Looking through the videos "Ant" has posted over the past three years, the vast majority feature swimming in the Yongding River. After the accident occurred, many bloggers shared tributes—some laid out offerings, while others scattered flowers across the river's surface.

“Ant” swims in the Yongding River. / Video screenshot

On February 25, a blogger who posted an obituary for "Ant" confirmed that Ant had indeed passed away unexpectedly. He fell into the Yongding River Bridge around 1:55 p.m. on February 10 after stepping onto thin ice, managing to struggle for about 30 minutes in a desperate attempt to save himself—but ultimately succumbing to hypothermia and drowning. Immediately after falling into the water, he chose to try rescuing himself and even urged bystanders not to risk their lives by jumping in to help. Though nearby witnesses promptly called the police, rescue efforts arrived too late to prevent the tragic outcome.

Blogger Ada recounted the sequence of events: On the day of the incident, it was "Ant's" second day back in Beijing. He had arranged with a swimming buddy to go winter swimming at 2 p.m., but he arrived a bit earlier—just after 1 p.m. Since he had plenty of time before their planned activity, he wandered onto the icy surface beneath the bridge. Unfortunately, the ice wasn’t strong enough, and he ended up falling through. Luckily, a nearby fisherman immediately helped him call for emergency services. Ada even tried to save himself by climbing back onto the ice—but the surface was shockingly fragile. Just as he managed to pull himself up again, the ice gave way once more. "He fell twice," Ada explained. "By then, his clothes were soaked with freezing water, and with the cold wind and dropping temperatures that day, he quickly exhausted all his energy. I think hypothermia set in, and unfortunately, he couldn’t make it."

People scattered flowers by the river to honor "Ants." / Internet image

Another blogger, Xingxing, also confirmed Ada’s account. He said, "After 'Ant' fell into the glacial river, he did manage to climb back up once—but after crawling a short distance, he realized it was too much and stood upright. Unfortunately, the ice was too thin, so he slipped back down again." Xingxing added that it took him nearly 20 minutes to make his first successful ascent onto the icy surface. By the time he fell for the second time, he was already exhausted. "After struggling for more than 10 minutes without being able to get back up, I suspect I’d already slipped into hypothermic unconsciousness."

On February 25, the reporter called the Yongding River Management Office of the Daxing District Water Resources Bureau, where an official stated,Swimming prohibited in the Yongding River. Some netizens also confirmed,There are indeed "No Swimming" signs along the Yongding River, but in reality, people still swim there.You can also find plenty of videos online showing people swimming in the Yongding River on a certain social media platform.

Netizens：“Don’t treat life as a joke!” “Always prioritize safety when outdoors!”

Cherish life.

Definitely don't venture into the water to play around.

As the weather warms up, open ice becomes dangerous—always prioritize your safety above all else!

Absolutely do not risk entering waterways where swimming is strictly prohibited. It’s strongly recommended to engage in ice sports or swimming only at official, designated areas—and always under the supervision of trained professionals. Earlier, our host joined firefighters to experience a real-life ice-dive self-rescue drill firsthand↓

The person who fell into the water should be brought safely ashore and promptly kept warm.

Experts say that when someone is unfortunately found falling into icy water, the top priority after rescuing them to shore is to check the victim's vital signs and take appropriate measures.Keep warmMeasures.

When rescuing a person who has fallen into the water, avoid forcibly trying to remove water from their airways to restore normal breathing—this could trigger a regurgitation of stomach contents, increasing the risk of choking. Additionally, once the victim is safely brought ashore, take immediate steps to prevent further loss of body heat. At this point, you shouldImmediately remove your soaking wet clothes.

Hypothermia is a common and potentially fatal risk; therefore, anyone who has fallen into cold water should be quickly moved to a sheltered area and given immediate warmth measures. If the person is conscious, they can safely drink some warm, non-alcoholic beverages to help restore their body temperature.

The weather is warming up.

Never venture onto water or thin ice.

Always put your safety first!

Forward! A friendly reminder for your outdoor-loving friends out there

Source: Beijing Traffic Radio, compiled from Upstream News, the Ministry of Emergency Management, CCTV News, and netizen comments

Editor: Beicheng

Editor on Duty: Peng Fei

Producer: Zhao Peng