- Boy swam for four hours to save his family
- Rescuers found them 14km from shoreline
A 13-year-old boy who swam four kilometres in dangerous swells to save his mother and two siblings has been hailed a hero.
The teenager’s family was on the water at Quindalup, 250km south of Perth, when strong winds began pushing their kayaks and paddleboards out to sea last Friday.
The boy jumped from his kayak and began swimming to shore, completing the first two kilometres in his life jacket before abandoning it for the final stretch.
He eventually made it to shore and raised the alarm.
His family – a 47-year-old woman, a 12-year-old boy and a eight-year-old girl – were found by rescuers clinging to a single paddleboard 14km from the shore.
‘I just said… “not today, not today”. I did breaststroke, I did freestyle, I did backstroke. I hit the bottom of the beach and just collapsed,’ the 13-year-old told Sky News.
‘And after that I had to sprint two kilometres to get to the phone.’
Naturaliste Marine Rescue commander Paul Bresland described the boy’s continued efforts through the rough swells as ‘superhuman’.
‘He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on,’ he told the ABC.
‘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 next two hours without a life jacket.’
WA Water Police, local marine rescue volunteers and a rescue helicopter were deployed in the multi-agency search.
They were found within an hour at 8.30pm and towed to shore by a rescue boat.
The group had been treading water for several hours, with the mother working to keep her children afloat in the rough conditions.
South West Police Inspector James Bradley praised the young boy for his accurate descriptions of the kayak and paddleboards he provided to rescuers.
‘The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough,’ he said.
‘His determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.’
They were assessed by paramedics and taken to Busselton Health Campus.
The family was reunited with the rescue crews after they were discharged from hospital over the weekend.
Mr Bradley added the family’s use of life jackets had contributed to their survival, serving as a timely reminder to other holidaymakers.
