A 13-year-old Western Australian boy has been praised for his bravery after swimming about four kilometres through dangerous seas for nearly four hours to raise the alarm and save his family, who were swept offshore while kayaking.
The teenager, Austin Appelbee, removed his life jacket partway through the exhausting swim and later ran another two kilometres after reaching shore to call for help, triggering a rescue that saved his mother and two younger siblings, who had been stranded at sea for more than eight hours.
The incident happened on Friday at Geographe Bay in the south of Western Australia, where the family had been paddleboarding and kayaking. Police said strong winds pushed their inflatable craft off course, carrying them further out to sea as daylight began to fade.
As conditions worsened, the teenager made the decision to head back towards shore to seek help. His kayak later began taking in water, forcing him to abandon it and continue the journey by swimming. Authorities said he swam approximately 4km to reach land.
The Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group described the boy’s actions as extraordinary. Its commander, Paul Bresland, said the teenager showed remarkable endurance and presence of mind during the ordeal.
“He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on,” Bresland told ABC News. “The brave fella thought he’s not going to make it with a life jacket on, so he ditched it, and he swam the next two hours without a life jacket.”
The boy was able to raise the alarm by about 6pm local time, prompting an extensive search involving police and marine rescue teams. His 47-year-old mother, 12-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister were later found at around 8.30pm by a rescue helicopter. They were clinging to a paddleboard roughly 14km offshore near Quindalup beach, close to Busselton.
A volunteer marine rescue vessel was guided to their location, and all three were safely brought back to shore. Police said the family had been wearing life jackets, which played a crucial role in their survival.
Western Australia Police Inspector James Bradley said the incident highlighted how quickly ocean conditions can change.
“The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough. His determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings,” he said.
