In 1873 Webb became the recipient of a gold medal from the Royal Humane Society of Great Britain for lifesaving for jumping off a Cunard steamer "Russia" to save a sailor who had been washed over board. At 4:25 p.m., Captain Webb dove into the river and began swimming towards the great whirlpool rapids. Eye witnesses claim that Captain Webb made the trip through the rapids in two minutes only to be drawn underwater at the vortex of Whirlpool. There are however conflicting eye witness accounts as to whether Captain Webb drowned in the rapids or in the whirlpool. At any rate, Webb's mangled body was recovered from the Niagara River near Queenston four days later. At 4 p.m. on the afternoon of July 24th 1883, Captain Webb was rowed out from the Maid of the Mist landing to the middle of the Niagara River by Jack McCloy. On August 24th 1875, Webb swam the English Channel.