A heartwarming video shows a line of people in Tangshan, Hebei province, linking their hands together to save three drowning people.

The video, released by Hebei Radio and Television Station, shows a dozen people holding hands who formed a line more than 20 meters long, trying to rescue three people caught in ice holes in a frozen lake.

A boy, a girl and their mother reportedly fell through the ice on the frozen lake while skating. They were rescued in less than three minutes, thanks to the help of people passing by.

Despite their heroism, some netizens pointed out that the rescuers should have lain on the ice rather than standing on it to reduce pressure on the ice when rescuing a drowning person.