A hero tourist who dived into a river to save a man from drowning was robbed during the daring rescue.

Joe Sheehan had just arrived in Dublin when he saw the man getting into trouble in the River Liffey.

The trained lifeguard, from Nebraska, USA, removed his valuables from his pockets before diving in to save the male.

But after helping him to safety, Joe was told his Samsung Galaxy phone as well as his wallet, which had €100 and £40 in it, had been stolen.

The 20-year-old, who is studying in London, said: “I don’t recommend swimming in the River Liffey. It’s not quite as much fun as you’d imagine.

“I’d just got in about five o’clock at the port.

“I was walking around, couldn’t find a hostel, grabbed a bite to eat and took some money out of the ATM.

“I was walking across O’Connell Bridge and on the south bank I saw some guy who had climbed down and he jumped into the water.

“At first he was laughing and he tried to swim back to the steps to get back up but he couldn’t make it.

"He started getting pulled away by the current. I was just standing on the bridge and watching.

"His head started to go under so I ran around to the side and took everything out of my pockets, took my trousers and shirt off.

“I tried to grab his hand and extend a jacket to him. He wouldn’t grab it so I jumped in and swam him back to where he could get up.”

The incident happened on Saturday evening at Aston Quay in the city centre.

Joe was down to his underwear when he came out of the river and noted that he was “covered in Liffey”.

He was then informed by a passerby that someone had taken his possessions.

He told the Evening Herald: “They just picked them up and ran off. I’m standing there in my underwear, just soaking wet, and I literally have nothing now.” The rescued man was described by Joe as “very, very emotional”.

He added: “He said, ‘Thank you so much’. He was obviously overcome because he knew that he was screwed. He had some other friends up on the bank and they were the ones who started screaming for help.”

One woman who witnessed the incident chased the thief and found him sitting between bins. However, gardai were unable to locate him later on.

But Joe was treated to some of the famous Irish hospitality before he returned to London. A group of bystanders were so disgusted by what they witnessed that they brought him for a night out.

Officers from Pearse Street Garda station are probing the theft, which was reported at 8.45pm. No arrests have been made.