A 13-year-old Australian boy is being praised for completing a heroic four-hour swim to save lots of his mother and siblings from being swept out to sea in Western Australia, state police said in a press release on Monday.
The family was on vacation in Quindalup, on Geographe Bay, about 250 kilometres south of Perth, on Friday, when strong winds blew their inflatable paddleboards and a kayak offshore.
The boy attempted to paddle back to shore in his kayak before it began taking up water, so he swam 4 hours back to the beach in fading daylight, where he alerted authorities that his two siblings and mother were stranded.
Naturaliste Marine Rescue commander Paul Bresland told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the boy’s 47-year-old mother, 12-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister were found at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday, clinging to a paddleboard about 14 kilometres offshore.
Bresland said the boy’s efforts were “superhuman.”
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“He swam in, he reckons, the primary two hours with a life jacket on,” he said.
“And the brave fella thought he’s not going to make it with a life jacket on, so he ditched it, and he swam the following two hours with no life jacket,” Bresland told the Australian outlet.
Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, which aided within the rescue effort, told the BBC, “The bravery, strength and courage shown by this family were extraordinary, especially the young fella who swam 4 kilometres to lift the alarm.”
Once he reached land, a multi-agency effort was launched to rescue the boy’s members of the family, comprising WA Water Police, local volunteers and a helicopter.
A volunteer marine rescue vessel was directed to their location, and all three were successfully rescued and returned to shore, police confirmed.
Insp. James Bradley said the incident should function a reminder of how quickly conditions at sea can shift and of the importance of taking safety precautions.
“This incident is a reminder that ocean conditions can change rapidly. Thankfully, all three people were wearing lifejackets, which contributed to their survival,” he said. “The actions of the 13-year-old boy can’t be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”
Bresland said the boy’s description of the color of the kayak and paddleboards was crucial in directing a successful search effort.
“Inside an hour, we found the kayak,” Bradley told ABC.
He said the family had kept themselves afloat in rough seas for hours before they were rescued, and that the mother managed to maintain the opposite two children secure with the assistance of the paddleboard.
“Physically, she just said, ‘I’m struggling, I can’t,’ but she just said they’re looking her in the attention, and he or she just kept going and kept them together,” Bresland added.
The trio were assessed by St John WA paramedics before being conveyed to Busselton Health Campus for medical assessment.
ABC said the family was discharged from the hospital over the weekend and visited the rescue crews who saved their lives to thank them for his or her efforts.
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