Photo of US special forces carrying Vietnamese mother and child becomes iconic during Hurricane Harvey

The photo of US special forces carrying Catherine Pham and her 13-month-old son amid floodwaters during Hurricane Harvey has become iconic.

Catherine Pham’s son sleeps soundly in her arms. The mother and son were carried to safety by an American police officer through floodwaters. Photo: AP.

Yesterday, the image of a US SWAT team member carrying a Vietnamese woman and her child appeared on many websites and news reports around the world, becoming a symbol of human struggle against the destructive power of Hurricane Harvey, according to AP.

Aiden Pham, 13 months, was wrapped in a blanket and sleeping soundly in his mother’s arms. Catherine Pham, 30, held her son tightly as Officer Daryl Hudeck carried him through knee-deep water in the area of ​​Interstate 610 southwest of Houston. Hudeck wore a baseball cap and looked exhausted.

"I kept looking around and soon I saw a SWAT member holding her and the baby. I couldn't believe there was a baby sitting there, warm and not crying," said photojournalist David Phillip, recalling the moment he saw the trio on the afternoon of August 27. "My heart softened. It was a special feeling."

Her husband, child and Catherine Pham were rescued from their home in the city’s Meyerland neighborhood, where many homes were flooded to the roof. Pham was taken to a staging area higher than the flooded area. Phillip only had time to ask for their names.

“Our house is completely flooded, but at least we are still together,” Pham wrote on Facebook last night. “We are grateful that God protected us today!”

As soon as Ms. Pham’s family was rescued, Phillip immediately posted the data online. Fortunately, not long after, the boat he was on crashed into a submerged object, possibly a car. Phillip tumbled into the water, his leg caught in the boat’s engine. He was pulled out by firefighters, but a camera and all the photos inside were lost when it sank.

Phillip, 51, has been an AP photographer for more than 20 years. He has covered hurricanes including Katrina, Ike and Rita, but was still shocked when Harvey tore through his hometown of Houston.

"After Katrina, I saw a lot of disturbing things, like dogs eating people and things like that," he said. "But when it happened right in my hometown, it was scary. I kept hoping it was a nightmare and when I woke up, the nightmare would be over. But it wasn't."

For Phillip, watching police rescue people like Catherine and Aiden Pham reminded him of the resilience of his hometown.

"It's those moments that you'll remember forever, like when a sheriff's deputy rushed out to rescue a man from a submerged car," he said. "I'll always remember the terror on the man's face and the dedication of the law enforcement officers who did everything they could to save him."

Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 storm, began making landfall in Texas late on August 25. It is the strongest storm to hit the US in 12 years, with winds of 210 km/h. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, destroying many homes and causing severe flooding in Houston, the fourth largest city in the US, killing at least 10 people and affecting nearly half a million Americans.

According to VNE