‘We Need a Chopper to Go Find Them’: 13-Year-Old’s Urgent Plea to Rescue Family Adrift Off Aussie Coast Unveiled

“We became disoriented out there,” the teenager explains to the emergency operator, following a swim four kilometres in treacherous, open ocean and sprinting 1.25 miles to summon rescue for his kin.

The operator questions how much time has gone by since he began.

“[It] was ages past … I think they’re far offshore. I think we require a helicopter to go find them,” he says.

Police have released the recorded plea made last month after the youth departed from his relatives floating at sea off the West Australian coast to find rescuers.

His voice remains clear and calm, even as he details his fear for his kin.

“I have no idea about what their condition is right now, and I’m terrified,” he informs the operator.

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

The Dangerous Incident

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

His mum instructed him to use his craft and locate rescue, so the boy commenced, discarding first his sinking craft then his unwieldy PFD to make the journey by swimming.

After getting to the beach – four hours later – he sprinted for 2km to access a mobile phone.

“Hello, my name is Austin … I have two siblings, Beau and Grace. Beau is 12 and Grace is eight,” he explains the operator.

“I’m sitting on the beach right now, and I have to also add – I think I need an ambulance because I think I have exposure … I’m really, I’m completely exhausted. I have sunstroke, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

A Getaway in Peril

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

The woman later recalled that they were enjoying themselves when the children “went out a bit too far”. The conditions worsened, they dropped their paddles, and started drifting.

“It kind of all went wrong very, very quickly,” she said.

The mother also described having to make “an incredibly tough choice” to instruct her son to swim to land.

“I knew he was the most capable and he had the ability to succeed,” she stated.

The Successful Mission

The teenager described being “completely out of breath”.

“I just continued swimming, I do the breaststroke, I do front crawl, I do elementary backstroke,” he explained.

The call for help was made at approximately 6pm.

At roughly 8.30pm, many hours after they first set out, the family were found and brought to safety. They had drifted about fourteen kilometres out to sea.

The emergency call was shared with the family’s permission.

A police sergeant who oversaw the operation said the family was in an “extremely dire situation”.

“They were in serious jeopardy, and time was of the essence given how much time they had been in the water and with light running out.

“What Austin did was nothing short of extraordinary. His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were instrumental in bringing about a rescue.”

The commander also commended how the boy calmly conveyed critical information.

When asked to detail the boards for the authorities, the youth said: “They were green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s there, but they had this fishing line, and there was a catch on the line. Because we hooked one.”