Former Southampton, Everton, Stoke and England striker James Beattie helped rescued two children after their yacht collided with a ferry in Poole Harbour.
Beattie, 39, who is now a coach at Leeds, was a passenger on the ferry along with his wife and their three children when the incident happened.
It is reported he leapt over a barrier at the front of the ferry in order to lift a toddler and a girl aged around six years old to safety.
Beattie later tweeted: "Current too strong for that little yacht. Glad the family are ok. Acted on instinct while too many get their phones out to video! Crazy!"
The incident follows Sunderland midfielder Duncan Watmore saving three passengers in a boat crash while on holiday in Barbados last month.