Overview
- Austin Appelbee, 13, abandoned a swamped kayak, swam about 4 km over roughly four hours, reached shore around 6 p.m., then ran 2 km to call Triple Zero.
- Western Australia Water Police, volunteer marine rescue crews and a helicopter located his mother Joanne and siblings Beau, 12, and Grace, 8, around 8:30 p.m., about 14 km offshore after 8–10 hours in the water.
- All four were assessed by paramedics and discharged without needing hospital care, with Austin using crutches briefly as he recovered from exhaustion.
- Police Inspector James Bradley praised the boy’s actions as life-saving, Premier Roger Cook called him a “true West Aussie hero,” and Austin has downplayed the label while recalling he feared the worst.
- The family had hired paddleboards and a kayak at Quindalup; officials highlighted lifejackets and swimming skills, with reports noting Austin’s long-running lessons and a recent VacSwim failure, and authorities confirmed referrals and inquiries into the incident.