Teen Swims 4km, Saves Family Swept Out to Sea in Australia

Austin Appelbee doesn't think he's a hero, but his four-kilometer swim through rough ocean waters saved his entire family's life.

The 13-year-old from Western Australia was on holiday with his mom Joanne and siblings Grace, 8, and Beau, 12, when they rented kayaks and paddleboards at Quindalup beach, about 250 kilometers south of Perth. Strong swells quickly swept the family out to sea.

Joanne made the heart-wrenching decision to send Austin back to shore for help. After his marathon swim, he ran another two kilometers to call emergency services.

For the next eight to ten hours, Joanne kept Grace and Beau alive in the open ocean. She tied their paddleboards together with leg ropes, sang songs, and told stories to keep their spirits up. Inside, she was preparing for the worst as darkness fell and temperatures dropped.

By the time rescuers found them around 8:30pm, the trio had drifted 14 kilometers offshore. When the helicopter crew spotted them and guided the Marine Rescue Busselton boat to their location, Joanne didn't even know if Austin had made it back safely.

"Once she found that out she was very, very relieved," said Peter Taylor, the skipper who pulled them from the water.

Sunny's Take

One month after their ordeal made global headlines, the Appelbee family returned to the South West to thank their rescuers in person. The reunion was emotional, especially for young Beau, who was embraced by his sister Grace as he fought back tears.

"I'm still shocked they could even see us," Beau said. "I'm so thankful to still be here. I'm thankful for my brother's swim and my sister who kept me calm."

Austin remained humble throughout the gathering. "All I really did was just raise the alarm," he said, pointing to the marine rescue volunteers, police, and ambulance crews. "These guys over here are the real heroes."

The family is still healing from the trauma. Joanne and Beau struggle to sleep properly. But standing on the beach where they nearly lost everything, surrounded by the people who refused to give up searching, they're simply grateful to be alive.

Paul Bresland from Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue remembers the moment they heard all four family members were safe. "When we heard they were all responsive and standing, yeah it was pretty bloody good," he said.

Their father Justin, who wasn't on the trip, summed it up perfectly: "I couldn't be any prouder of them all and I'm still in disbelief they survived."