‘We Need a Chopper to Go Find Them’: Teenager’s Emergency Call to Aid Relatives Adrift Off Australian Coast Unveiled

“We got lost out there,” young Austin Appelbee tells the emergency operator, having swum four kilometres in rough, open ocean and sprinting two kilometres to summon rescue for his family.

The operator questions how much time has passed since he set off.

“[It] was quite some time back … I think they’re kilometres out to sea. I think we require a chopper to search for them,” he states.

Emergency services have disclosed the emergency phone call made previously after the boy left his loved ones floating at sea off the Western Australian coast to fetch help.

His tone remains steady and composed, even as he voices his concern for his family members.

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

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

The Perilous Situation

The mother and children had been pulled 2.5 miles out to sea in treacherous conditions while enjoying water sports.

His mum urged him to use his craft and get assistance, so the youth commenced, abandoning first his sinking craft then his cumbersome lifejacket to make the journey by swimming.

After getting to the beach – after an extensive period – he ran for 2km to access a 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 sitting on the beach right now, and I have to also add – I think I need an paramedic because I think I have a dangerously low body temperature … I’m really, I’m completely exhausted. I have sunstroke, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

A Getaway in Peril

The group was on a break in Quindalup, 200km south of Perth. They set off from Geographe Bay following 10am on a Friday in late January.

The mother later explained that they were playing around when the young ones “drifted further than intended”. The conditions worsened, they were separated from their equipment, and started drifting.

“It kind of all became dangerous very, very quickly,” she noted.

The parent also referenced having to make “a terribly difficult call” to instruct her son to swim ashore.

“I knew he was the strongest and he was able to manage it,” she commented.

The Rescue Effort

The teenager described being “very puffed out”.

“I just pressed on, I do breaststroke, I do front crawl, I do elementary backstroke,” he said.

The distress call was made at around 6pm.

At about 8.30pm, ten hours after they first began, the stranded individuals were spotted and rescued. They had drifted about fourteen kilometres out to sea.

The emergency call was shared with the family’s permission.

A forward commander who oversaw the operation said the family was in an “desperately dangerous position”.

“They were in serious jeopardy, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading.

“What Austin did was truly remarkable. His heroic actions in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were crucial in bringing about a rescue.”

The officer also highlighted how the boy calmly conveyed vital details.

When asked to describe the paddleboards for the search crew, the teenager said: “They were a green and white colour.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but they had this fishing line, and there was a catch on the line. As we caught one.”