13-Year-Old Swims 2.5-Miles for Almost 4 Hours to Save HIs Family After Being Swept Out to Sea [WATCH]

A 13-year-old Australian boy is being credited by police with saving his family after swimming for hours through rough ocean conditions to reach shore and raise the alarm when they were swept out to sea off Western Australia, as reported by Fox News.

Police said Austin Appelbee swam nearly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) over the course of almost four hours after strong winds and heavy seas carried his family away from shore near Quindalup on Friday.

The Appelbee family, visiting the area from Perth, had been using rented kayaks and paddleboards around midday when conditions deteriorated.

Police have praised a teenager who abandoned his sinking kayak to swim two nautical miles through treacherous waters, ultimately saving three lives. Here’s more: https://t.co/IQCqgfg1Kf pic.twitter.com/WvwzAeYpYS

— The Australian (@australian) February 2, 2026

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Authorities said powerful winds and waves pulled the group farther out to sea, leaving them unable to return to shore.

Austin initially attempted to paddle back using an inflatable kayak but abandoned it after it began taking on water.

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Police said the teenager made the decision to swim for help alone, removing his life jacket so it would not restrict his movement as he battled large waves and exhaustion.

“The waves are massive, and I have no life jacket on.… I just kept thinking, ‘Just keep swimming, just keep swimming,’” Austin said Tuesday.

“And then I finally I made it to shore, and I hit the bottom of the beach, and I just collapsed.”

After reaching land, Austin was able to alert authorities, triggering a large-scale search and rescue effort.

A police helicopter later located his mother, Joanne Appelbee, 47, and his two younger siblings — Beau, 12, and Grace, 8 — clinging to a paddleboard while wearing life jackets.

Police said the three had drifted approximately nine miles (14 kilometers) from shore and spent up to 10 hours in the water before being rescued around 8:30 p.m.

“The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings,” said Police Inspector James Bradley.

Joanne Appelbee said asking her eldest son to attempt the swim was the most difficult decision she has ever faced.

“One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: ‘Try and get to shore and get some help,’” she told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

She said the family tried to remain calm as the situation worsened, singing songs and joking to keep spirits up while daylight faded. Fear increased as night approached and the seas grew rougher.

“We kept positive, we were singing, and we were joking and … we were treating it as a bit of a game until the sun started to go down, and that’s when it was getting very choppy. Very big waves,” she said.

By the time rescuers arrived, all three family members in the water were suffering from cold exposure. Joanne Appelbee said her son Beau had lost feeling in his legs due to the cold, and all were shivering when they were pulled to safety.

“I have three babies. All three made it. That was all that mattered,” she said.

‘I was really scared’.

A 13 year-old boy has made headlines after he swam for four hours through choppy waters off Western Australia to get help for his family.

Austin Applebee recounted on Tuesday how he swam for four hours through choppy waters off Western Australia to get… pic.twitter.com/F3oKieBOli

— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) February 3, 2026

Police confirmed that all four family members were medically evaluated after the rescue and did not require hospitalization.

Authorities used the incident to remind beachgoers of the dangers posed by sudden weather changes and offshore winds, particularly when using paddleboards and kayaks in open water.

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