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An extraordinary audio recording has emerged, capturing the moment 13-year-old Austin Appelbee, a young hero from Western Australia, made a life-saving call to emergency services. The teenager impressively swam 4 kilometers against a powerful current to secure help for his mother and siblings who were in peril.
On January 30, Austin and his family had taken to the waters of Geographe Bay, approximately 250 kilometers south of Perth. They had rented paddleboards and a kayak at Quindalup for a day of adventure, unaware of the challenges that lay ahead.
As midday approached, the family found themselves at the mercy of strong winds and turbulent seas that began carrying them further from the coast.
Demonstrating remarkable courage, Austin swam back to the shore to alert authorities. His brave efforts led to the successful rescue of his mother, Joanne Appelbee, aged 47, along with his 12-year-old brother, Beau, and eight-year-old sister, Grace, who had been swept 14 kilometers out to sea.
This past Wednesday, the Western Australian Police Force released a segment of Austin’s emergency call, highlighting his quick thinking and determination in a moment of crisis.
On Wednesday, the Western Australian Police Force shared a portion of the recording of Austin’s triple-zero call.
“We couldn’t get back to shore and mum told me to go back to get help. I haven’t seen them since then,” Appelbee told the operator.
“I think they’re kilometres out to sea. I think we need a helicopter to go find them. I’m sitting on the beach right now. I think I need an ambulance because I think I’ve got hypothermia.”
Appelbee then provides precise details about when the group entered the water and the colours of their paddleboards.
“Mum said: ‘Go get help’. We were in massive trouble,” Appelbee said.
A search helicopter found the mother and two children wearing life jackets and clinging to a paddleboard at 8.30pm local time, police said.
Acting sergeant Andrew McDonnell described Appelbee’s actions as “nothing short of extraordinary”.
“His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a successful outcome,” he said in a statement.
McDonnell described the family’s situation as dire.
“They were in real trouble, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading,” he said.
“By getting himself to safety and relaying critical information, he helped enable a coordinated response involving WA Police, local Marine Rescue volunteers and St John Ambulance — all people who live in and serve this community, many of whom do so as volunteers.”
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