A 13-year-old boy is being hailed for rescuing his mother and two younger siblings by swimming for hours after their family was swept out to sea off the coast of Australia. Austin Appelbee swam four kilometers to shore to seek help after encountering difficulties with his mother, Joanne Appelbee, 47, brother Beau, 12, and sister Grace, 8, according to the police. Initially using an inflatable kayak that was taking on water, Austin abandoned it and removed his life jacket to aid his swimming. He persevered through rough seas for approximately four hours, reaching shore and alerting authorities at 6 p.m.
The Appelbee family, on vacation from Perth, were using kayaks and paddle boards rented from their hotel around noon when they were swept away by rough ocean and wind conditions. A search helicopter located the mother and two children, wearing life jackets and clinging to a paddleboard, at 8:30 p.m. They had drifted 14 kilometers from Quindalup in Western Australia after spending up to 10 hours in the water.
Insp. James Bradley commended the 13-year-old’s actions, stating that his determination and bravery ultimately saved his mother and siblings. Joanne Appelbee shared that she instructed her eldest child to seek help as she couldn’t leave the three children behind, calling it one of the toughest decisions she had to make. Despite initial doubts, she remained hopeful that Austin would reach shore, expressing relief when he did after the sun had set.
The family remained positive during the ordeal, singing and joking until the conditions worsened as night fell. All three were rescued while shivering, with Beau experiencing leg numbness due to the cold. Despite the challenges, all family members were assessed and did not require hospitalization.