A 13-year-old boy is being hailed for rescuing his mother and two younger siblings by swimming for hours after they were swept out to sea off the coast of Australia.
Austin Appelbee swam a distance of four kilometers to shore to seek help when he and his family encountered difficulties on Friday. Initially using an inflatable kayak that began taking on water, Austin later abandoned it and removed his life jacket to improve his swimming ability.
With determination and positive thoughts, Austin swam through rough seas for approximately four hours until he reached shore and raised the alarm at 6 p.m. Recalling the challenging experience, Austin mentioned, “The waves were massive, and I had no life jacket on. … I just kept thinking, just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”
The Appelbee family, on vacation from Perth, were using kayaks and paddle boards rented from their hotel when strong ocean currents and windy conditions pushed them further out to sea. A search helicopter located the mother and two children, who were wearing life jackets and clinging to a paddleboard at 8:30 p.m. They had drifted 14 kilometers from Quindalup in Western Australia, spending up to 10 hours in the water.
Inspector James Bradley praised the boy’s bravery, stating, “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.”
Joanne Appelbee, the mother, shared that she made the tough decision to send her eldest child for help while she stayed with the other children. She expressed her relief when Austin reached shore successfully but acknowledged her anxiety as night fell and assistance was still pending.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the family remained positive, singing and joking until the situation turned more serious as night approached. When rescued, all three children were shivering, and Beau had lost feeling in his legs due to the cold.
Fortunately, all family members were examined medically and did not require hospitalization. The mother expressed her gratitude, saying, “I have three babies. All three made it. That was all that mattered.”