Teen swims hours through rough sea to save his family
A 13-year-old boy, Austin Appelbee, swam for four hours through turbulent waters off Western Australia to get help for his stranded family. The ordeal began when their kayak and paddleboards were overturned by strong waves, leaving his mother and two younger siblings swept out to sea. Despite exhaustion and fear, Austin pressed on, eventually reaching shore and alerting emergency services. His actions have been widely praised by rescuers and authorities as “superhuman”.
What we know
- Austin Appelbee swam four kilometres across the ocean after his family was swept out to sea while kayaking and paddle-boarding.
- He initially wore a life jacket for the first two hours, then removed it to swim more freely for the remaining two hours.
- Upon reaching the beach, Austin called emergency services, leading to a successful rescue of his mother, Joanne, and siblings, 12-year-old Beau and eight-year-old Grace.
- Marine rescue volunteer Paul Bresland and police inspector James Bradley praised Austin’s courage and determination.
- The family endured hours in the open ocean, with Joanne making the difficult decision to send Austin for help.
