Teen Swims Four Hours to Save Family Lost at Sea Off Australia

AFP/APP

Sydney: A 13-year-old boy has recounted how he swam for four hours through choppy waters off Western Australia to get help for his family, in a feat hailed by rescuers as “superhuman”.

The boy, identified in local media as Austin Appelbee, swam nearly four kilometres (2.5 miles) to shore after his mother and two younger siblings were swept out to sea while kayaking and paddle-boarding on Friday afternoon.

The family had gone out together when conditions suddenly worsened. Strong waves flipped their paddleboards and filled their kayak with water, dragging them farther into the open ocean.

“I was really scared,” the teenager told reporters.

“I was just thinking in my head that I was going to make it through. But I was also thinking about all my friends at school and my Christian youth group.”

“I just kept saying, ‘Not today, not today, not today. I have to keep going.’”

Austin said he initially swam wearing a life jacket but later abandoned it to move more freely through the water.

“I was very puffed out, but I couldn’t feel how tired I was,” he said, adding that he tried to stay calm by thinking of happy things and even singing the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song.

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“At that time, the waves were massive, and I had no life jacket on. I just kept swimming — breaststroke, freestyle, survival backstroke.”

‘Brave fella’

After finally reaching shore, the teenager immediately contacted emergency services, urging them to deploy boats, helicopters, and aircraft.

“I told them, ‘My family is out at sea,’” he said.

Marine rescue volunteer Paul Bresland said the boy’s endurance proved critical. The family was later found clinging to a paddleboard in open waters near the tourist town of Quindalup.

“He swam the first two hours with a life jacket on,” Bresland told national broadcaster ABC.

“Then the brave fella thought he wouldn’t make it with it on, so he ditched it and swam the next two hours without one. That’s incredible — absolutely superhuman.”

Police Inspector James Bradley praised the boy’s courage, saying his actions “cannot be praised highly enough”.

“His determination and bravery ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings,” he said.

Austin’s mother, Joanne, was also praised for keeping the family together at sea with her 12-year-old son Beau and eight-year-old daughter Grace.

“It seemed nice and calm to begin with,” she told reporters.

“One of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made was telling Austin to try and get to shore for help.”

“As the sun went down, I thought something had gone terribly wrong,” she said.

“My fear was that Austin didn’t make it. Everything goes through your head.”