‘We Need a Aircraft to Search For Them’: Adolescent’s Distress Call to Rescue Family Adrift Off Down Under Coast Disclosed

“We ended up adrift out there,” young Austin Appelbee informs the emergency operator, following a swim four kilometres in treacherous, the sea and jogging two kilometres to summon rescue for his kin.

The operator questions how much time has passed since he began.

“[It] was a very long time ago … I think they’re a long way from land. I think we must get a chopper to search for them,” he reports.

Police have disclosed the emergency phone call made last month after the boy departed from his loved ones floating at sea off the WA coast to find rescuers.

His tone remains clear and calm, even as he details his concern for his kin.

“I am unsure of what their state is right now, and I’m terrified,” he tells the operator.

“Mum said to seek assistance … We were in grave peril.”

The Perilous Situation

The mother and children had been swept four kilometres out to sea in treacherous conditions while enjoying water sports.

His mother asked him to take his kayak and locate rescue, so the boy set off, discarding first his failing kayak then his unwieldy PFD to make the journey by swimming.

After getting to the beach – after an extensive period – he raced for 1.25 miles to retrieve a mobile phone.

“Hello, my name is Austin … I have a brother and sister, Beau and Grace. Beau is 12 and Grace is eight,” he explains the emergency services.

“I’m positioned on the beach right now, and I have to also add – I think I need an medical help because I think I have hypothermia … I’m really, I’m extremely tired. I have hyperthermia, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

A Holiday Turned Crisis

The group was on a break in Quindalup, 125 miles south of Perth. They departed from Geographe Bay following 10am on a Friday in late January.

The parent later recalled that they were having fun when the children “ventured out too far”. The wind picked up, they dropped their paddles, and started being carried out.

“It sort of all became dangerous very, very quickly,” she remarked.

The mother also described having to make “an incredibly tough choice” to send her son to make the swim for help.

“I knew he was the strongest and he could do it,” she stated.

The Rescue Effort

The youth recalled being “extremely winded”.

“I just continued swimming, I do the breaststroke, I do front crawl, I do elementary backstroke,” he explained.

The emergency call was made at approximately 6pm.

At about 8.30pm, a full ten hours after they first set out, the family were spotted and rescued. They had drifted about 14km out to sea.

The audio was shared with the mother’s permission.

A police sergeant who coordinated the rescue mission said the family was in an “desperately dangerous position”.

“They were in genuine danger, and time was extremely pressing given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading.

“What Austin did was truly remarkable. His bravery and courage in those conditions were exceptional, and his actions were crucial in bringing about a positive result.”

The officer also highlighted how the youth calmly conveyed key facts.

When asked to identify the equipment for the search crew, the youth said: “They were coloured green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s there, but they had this rod, and there was a fish hooked. Since we caught one.”