AIRMAN Gordon Wilkie has been praised for his “extraordinary courage” - after he put his own life on the line to save a young woman from the treacherous waters of the Penang Straits.

The RAF Leeming-based corporal leapt into action after the woman fell overboard from the Penang Ferry as it made its way to an island off the Malaysian peninsular on Monday, October 6.

Despite efforts by the crew to reach the woman with life-preservers and ropes, the currents were too strong and began sweeping her out of reach.

“It was clear she was having trouble swimming and looked like she was going under,” said 36-year-old Cpl Wilkie, known as Gordie to his friends.

He calmly gathered a rope, secured himself to the ferry and followed her into water, making his way out to save her.

However when he reached the limit of the rope tethering him to the ferry, he was still not able to reach her - so he released himself from the security of the rope and continued to swim after her into the middle of the choppy two-mile wide channel.

As he closed the distance between the woman and himself, the ferry crew was able to raise a passing small boat over the ship’s radio which diverted off-course and pulled the woman out of the water.

The boat was then able to pick up Cpl Wilkie before returning them both to shore.

The woman, suffering from shock, was then collected by ambulance to be taken to hospital for treatment – and port officials joined local police in describing the RAF man as “very brave.”

Cpl Wilkie was in the region as part of a UK Typhoon fighter-jet deployment participating in a multi-national air defence exercise.

His commanding officer, Wing Commander Chris Moon, said: “Cpl Wilkie’s actions were extraordinarily brave and I am proud to have him on my team.

“His presence of mind, quickness of action and selflessness are exactly the qualities we value in the Royal Air Force and he is an excellent ambassador for both the service and the United Kingdom.”

Cpl Wilkie is a communications engineer with 90 Signals Unit based at RAF Leeming.

He and his colleagues have been working closely with the Royal Malaysian Air Force at Butterworth airfield in Malaysia.

They are taking part in an exercise to further strengthen bonds in the Five Powers Defence Agreement between Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.