The central province of Khanh Hoa on Friday granted medals of bravery to two teenage boys for rescuing five girls who were drowning in a lake last month.

Bo Ty, 14, and Cao Lam, 13, said their only regret was that they could not save two other girls.

On April 20, the two boys were tending their cows near the Ta Ruc Lake while they heard children shouting for help.

The boys jumped into the lake and managed to rescue five girls.

After being told by the girls, all seventh-graders, that their two classmates were still in the lake, the boys returned but it was too late.