We Require a Aircraft to Go Find Them’: Teenager’s Emergency Call to Aid Relatives Lost Off Aussie Coast Unveiled

“We ended up adrift out there,” young Austin Appelbee tells the emergency operator, following a swim 4km in rough, open ocean and running 1.25 miles to get assistance for his household.

The dispatcher questions how long has passed since he set off.

“[It] was quite some time back … I think they’re a long way from land. I think we must get a rescue aircraft to go find them,” he states.

Police have made public the recorded plea made last month after the youth departed from his relatives floating at sea off the Western Australian coast to fetch help.

His tone remains lucid and collected, even as he voices his fear for his family.

“I am unsure of what their status is right now, and I’m terrified,” he tells the person on the line.

“Mum said go get help … We were in massive trouble.”

The Harrowing Ordeal

The family group had been carried four kilometres out to sea in treacherous conditions while using kayaks and paddleboards.

His mother asked him to set out and find help, so the youth began, abandoning first his failing kayak then his cumbersome lifejacket to cover the remaining stretch.

After reaching land – following a four-hour swim – he ran for two kilometres 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 call handler.

“I’m located on the beach right now, and I have to also mention – I think I need an paramedic because I think I have exposure … I’m really, I’m completely exhausted. I have sunstroke, and I feel like I’m about to faint.”

A Getaway in Peril

The group was on holiday in Quindalup, 200km south of Perth. They departed from Geographe Bay around 10am on a Friday in late January.

The mother later recalled that they were having fun when the young ones “went out a bit too far”. The conditions worsened, they dropped their paddles, and started being carried out.

“It sort of all turned bad very, very quickly,” she said.

The parent also referenced having to make “one of the hardest decisions” to instruct her son to swim ashore.

“I knew he was the best swimmer and he was able to manage it,” she said.

The Rescue Effort

The boy recalled being “completely out of breath”.

“I just continued swimming, I do breaststroke, I do freestyle, I do a floating stroke,” he explained.

The distress call was made at around 6pm.

At roughly 8.30pm, many hours after they first set out, the stranded individuals were located and saved. They had drifted about fourteen kilometres out to sea.

The emergency call was made public with the mother’s permission.

A forward commander who coordinated the search and rescue effort said the family was in an “extremely dire situation”.

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

“What the teenager did was incredibly brave. His bravery and courage in those conditions were astonishing, and his actions were crucial in bringing about a positive result.”

The commander also praised how the youth clearly relayed key facts.

When asked to describe the paddleboards for the search crew, the boy replied: “They were green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but they had this fishing rod, and there was a fish hooked. Since we managed to catch a fish.”