Nigerian woman bravely throws her three children from fourth story window of a burning South Korean building to US airmen below

This is the incredible moment a terrified mother-of-three flung her children from a burning building in South Korea to a group of US airmen waiting to catch them below.

Cellphone footage shows Precious Enyioko, 30, who was trapped on the fourth story with her three children, aged just 7 months, 3 and 4-years-old, as the building burned around them.

US airmen, from the nearby Osan Airbase, in Pyeongtaek county, South Korea, had spotted the commotion last Friday afternoon and quickly assembled a rescue team of locals and military on the ground below.

As thick black smoke billowed out the windows of the building, the desperate woman was finally persuaded to drop her baby.

The screams of the horrified crowd were heard as the child plummeted four stories before it was safely caught in the rescue teams' blanket below.

The baby was followed by Enyioko's other two children, who were thrown from the blazing building, before their mother flung herself from the window.

Thankfully, she too landed safely on the blanket being held by the US military forces and the locals. 

'It was so difficult to drop my children,' Enyioko told DVIDS. 'It was so dark in the room and the kids were coughing and crying. When I saw the people gathering with the blanket, I could see it was military members, I thanked my God.'

Her husband, Prince Enyioko, said he was overwhelmed with gratitude to the airmen for saving the lives of his wife and child.

'I really appreciate what happened that very day. I don't know how I can explain my thanks,' Enyioko told DVIDS. 'Without them I don't know what I would do – I am so grateful for the wisdom of the military men and women.' 

Mr Enyioko, originally from Nigeria, said he felt 'helpless' after returning home from work to find his family trapped by the blaze.

'I tried to help my family but I couldn't. I was so surprised to see people gathering here to rescue my family especially the military. I felt so helpless.' 

MSgt Daniel Raimondo told CNN that the and his fellow airmen had been passing by the area when they noticed the thick black smoke.

After one of him comrades ran to get a blanket to catch the family on, he pleaded with the terrified woman to let go of her children.

'Please throw your baby, please throw your baby,' he told her. 'She did just that.'

Raimondo said he'd struggled to persuade her to let go of her last child.

'She just wouldn't let them go,' he told CNN. 'I remember looking at her though all the turmoil and commotion. I just begged and pleaded with her, 'Please throw the baby down.'