Australian teen swims for hours to save family after boat drifts at sea

A 13-year-old boy swam for nearly four hours through rough seas to save his mother and two younger siblings after their small craft was blown into deep waters off Western Australia, 24NewsHD TV reported on Tuesday. 

The incident occurred on January 30 near Quindalup, where the family had been holidaying when strong winds pushed their narrow boat and an inflatable paddleboard away from shore.

As conditions worsened, the teenager attempted to take the boat back to land to raise the alarm, but it capsized, forcing him to swim approximately four kilometres to the coast.

Speaking to local media, the boy said he alternated between breaststroke, freestyle, and other swimming techniques to reach shore.

Exhausted upon landing, he then ran about two kilometres to reach a phone and call for help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSotwO5iJEs&t=8s

 “I swam for four hours and collapsed when I got to land,” he said. “After that, I ran as fast as I could to get to a phone.”

Western Australia Police received a report at around 6 pm local time that a family had drifted out to sea, triggering a major rescue operation involving air and marine units.

A rescue helicopter located the remaining family members, a 47-year-old woman, a 12-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old girl at about 830 pm.

 An emergency vessel was dispatched to the site and safely brought them ashore.

Marine Rescue commander Paul Bressington said the trio was found approximately 14 kilometres from the coast after enduring hours of heavy seas.

“The bravery and determination of the 13-year-old boy played a crucial role in this rescue,” Bressington said.

He added that the teenager swam for about two hours wearing a life jacket before removing it and continuing for another two hours to reach land.

Authorities praised the boy’s endurance and courage, saying his actions directly led to the successful rescue of his family.