‘Absolute hero’: Teen boy swims 4 hours through strong waves to save family drifting 14 km into sea

The incident unfolded by the coast of Western Australia on January 30 when the family was holidaying in Quindalup.

3 min readNew DelhiFeb 4, 2026 03:24 PM IST

After four hours battling the waves, he reached the shore and collapsed from exhaustion (Image source: @CollinRugg/X)

Austin Appelbee, 13, is earning praise after he swam for four hours, braving strong waves to save his mother and siblings. The incident unfolded by the coast of Western Australia on January 30 when the family was holidaying in Quindalup.

According to The Guardian, strong winds and waves swept them out into Geographe Bay as they were paddleboarding and kayaking. The group included Austin Appelbee, his mother Joanne, 47, his brother Beau, 12, and his sister Grace, 8.

However, Appelbee managed to paddle his kayak back toward shore before it was overwhelmed by the sea. He then started swimming towards the land to get help. He spent the first two hours in the water wearing a life jacket, but later abandoned it, believing it was slowing him down.

After four hours battling the waves, he reached the shore and collapsed from exhaustion. Despite this, he still ran another two kilometres to find a phone and raise the alarm at about 6 pm.

A rescue operation consisting of helicopters and marine vessels was launched soon after. Around 8.30 pm, crews found Joanne, Beau, and Grace clinging to a single paddleboard nearly 14 kilometres offshore. A volunteer marine rescue boat pulled them from the water and brought them safely back to land, the report added.

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Authorities said Appelbee’s clear and detailed description of the family’s equipment played a crucial role in the rescue, allowing crews to locate them within an hour. All the members sustained minor injuries and were treated accordingly.

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NEW: 13-year-old Australian boy swims for four hours in cold and dangerous waters to save his mom and siblings who were swept into the ocean, says God is who got him to shore.

The family was on kayaks & paddleboards when they were swept about 2.5 miles out to sea.

After a… pic.twitter.com/Gg7OctvHi4

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 3, 2026

The incident quickly gained traction on social media, garnering plaudits for the 13-year-old. “Most people don’t realize how easy it is to get swept out to sea on a paddleboard. I saw it happen countless times out in Hawaii just off of Waikiki Beach. Thankfully, this boy‘s story has a happy ending. Many do not,” a user wrote.