A 13-year-old Australian boy is being praised for completing a heroic four-hour swim to save his mother and siblings from being swept away by the sea. Western Australiastate police said in a statement Monday.
The family was on holiday in Quindalup, in Geographe Bay, about 250 kilometers south of Perth, on Friday when strong winds blew their inflatable paddleboards and a kayak offshore.
The boy attempted to return to shore with his kayak before it began to take on water. So he swam four hours to the beach in fading daylight, where he alerted authorities that his two siblings and mother were stranded.
Naturalist 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 around 8:30 p.m. Friday clinging to a paddle board about 9 miles offshore.
Bresland said the boy’s efforts were “superhuman.”
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“He estimates he swam for the first two hours with a life jacket,” he said.
“And this good guy thought he wasn’t going to make it with a lifejacket, so he ditched it and swam for the next two hours without a lifejacket,” Bresland told Australian media.
Naturalist Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, who assisted in the rescue efforts, told BBC“The bravery, strength and courage shown by this family was extraordinary, especially the young man who swam four kilometers to raise the alarm.”
Once he reached land, a multi-agency effort was launched to rescue the boy’s family members, including WA Water Police, local volunteers and a helicopter.
A volunteer maritime rescue vessel was directed to their location, and all three were successfully rescued and brought to shore, police confirmed.
Insp. James Bradley said the incident should serve as a reminder of how quickly conditions at sea can change and the importance of taking safety precautions.
“This incident is a reminder that ocean conditions can change quickly. Fortunately, all three people were wearing life jackets, which contributed to their survival,” he said. “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised 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 leading the successful search effort.
“Within an hour we found the kayak,” Bradley told ABC.
He said the family stayed afloat in rough seas for hours before being rescued and the mother managed to keep the other two children safe with the help of the paddleboard.
“Physically, she just said, ‘I’m struggling, I can’t,’ but she just said they were looking into her eyes, and she just kept going and kept them together,” Bresland added.
The trio were assessed by St John WA paramedics before being transported to Busselton Health Campus for a medical assessment.
ABC said the family was released from the hospital over the weekend and visited the rescue teams who saved their lives to thank them for their efforts.
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