Audio of an emergency call made by a 13-year-old boy has been released after he swam 4km and ran a further 2km to seek help for his family, who were stranded off the coast of Western Australia.
In the call, released by WA police with family permission, Austin Appelbee can be heard calmly telling the 000 operator, “We got lost out there,” and explaining that it has been several hours since he lost sight of his mother and two younger siblings.
The Appelbee family – mother Joanne, 13-year-old Austin, 12-year-old Beau and 8-year-old Grace, were holidaying near Quindalup, about 200 kilometres south of Perth, when their hired inflatable paddleboards and kayaks were pushed out to sea by strengthening winds and swells on 30 January 2026. As the conditions, initially calm, deteriorated, the waves strengthened, and the family lost two oars. Their kayak began taking on water, leaving them unable to return to shore.
Austin set off alone to seek help after his mother decided she could not leave her children behind to find help herself.
The triple zero operator asks Austin how long it has been since he set off. “It was a very long time ago … I think they’re kilometres out to sea. I think we need a helicopter to go find them,” he says.
“I don’t know what their condition is right now, and I’m really scared,” he adds. “Mum said go get help. We were in massive trouble.”
Austin’s initial attempt to reach land using an inflatable kayak had to be abandoned when it began to sink, leaving him to continue by swimming several kilometres in shark-frequented waters, in fading light and heavy seas. He wore a life jacket for part of the swim before removing it when it started to slow him down.
When he reached shore, four hours later, he then had to run for 2km down the beach to locate his mother’s phone and make the call for help.
‘I think I have hypothermia … I’m about to pass out’
“Hello, my name is Austin … I have two siblings, Beau and Grace. Beau is 12 and Grace is eight,” he tells the operator.
“I’m sitting on the beach right now, and I have to also explain – I think I need an ambulance because I think I have hypothermia … I’m really, I’m extremely tired. I have heatstroke, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.” The operator can be heard logging the emergency details while urging Austin to remain on the line.
Joanne tells ABC that asking her 13-year-old son to swim through dangerous waters to get help was “one of the hardest decisions” she has ever made. “I knew he was the strongest and he could do it,” she told the network. “I would have never went because I wouldn’t have left the kids at sea, so I had to send somebody.”
Speaking to the BBC, she adds: “It didn’t look like we were that far from the shoreline.”
Western Australia police received the call at around 6pm – around an hour before sunset – and launched a multi-agency response involving water police, volunteer marine rescue crews and a rescue helicopter. The helicopter located Joanne, Beau and Grace at about 8.30pm. They were found clinging to a paddleboard roughly 14 kilometres offshore after spending up to 10 hours in the water.
Speaking to BBC, Joanne explains how the situation had started with “a bit of fun” with two paddleboards and a kayak in shallow water at the beach, when the children “went out a bit too far”.
She adds: “The wind picked up and it went from there. We lost oars, and we drifted out further … It kind of all went wrong very, very quickly.
Exertion ‘comparable to running two marathons’
While waiting for rescue, Joanne told reporters she had worked to keep her younger children calm by tying the paddleboards together and encouraging them to stay positive as conditions worsened and daylight faded. As night approached, cold and exhaustion set in, with Beau losing sensation in his legs.
All four family members were assessed by paramedics following the rescue. None required hospital admission, although Austin later required crutches after what medics described as exertion comparable to running two marathons.
Forward commander acting Sgt Andrew McDonnell, who led the search and rescue effort, praised Austin’s ability to remain calm on the phone and explain important information, despite the severity of the situation and his exhaustion. He says the family was in an “extremely dire situation”.
He adds: “They were in real trouble, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading.
“What Austin did was nothing short of extraordinary. His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a successful outcome.”
While on the phone to 000, Austin is asked to describe the family’s paddleboards for the search and rescue team.
“They were green and white,” he says. “And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but they had this fishing rod, and there was a fish on there. ‘Cos we caught one.”
Police Inspector James Bradley says: “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough; his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”
He added: “Thankfully, all three people were wearing lifejackets, which contributed to their survival.”
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