‘We Need a Aircraft to Locate Them’: 13-Year-Old’s Distress Call to Save Relatives Lost Off Australian Coast Disclosed

“We ended up adrift out there,” a 13-year-old boy informs the 000 call handler, after swimming 2.5 miles in rough, open ocean and jogging 2km to summon rescue for his household.

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

“[It] was quite some time back … I think they’re far offshore. I think we require a chopper to go find them,” he states.

Emergency services have released the distress call made previously after the boy departed from his relatives drifting at sea off the WA coast to seek assistance.

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

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

“Mum said to seek assistance … We were in grave peril.”

The Dangerous Incident

The family group had been swept 2.5 miles out to sea in treacherous conditions while using kayaks and paddleboards.

His mum asked him to set out and locate rescue, so the youth commenced, ditching first his sinking craft then his bulky flotation device to make the journey by swimming.

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

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

“I’m located on the beach right now, and I have to also mention – I think I need an paramedic because I think I have exposure … I’m really, I’m utterly fatigued. I have sunstroke, and I feel like I’m about to collapse.”

A Getaway in Peril

The holidaymakers was on a break in Quindalup, 200km south of Perth. They began their trip from Geographe Bay some time after 10am on a Friday in late January.

The mother later described that they were playing around when the young ones “ventured out too far”. The conditions worsened, they lost their oars, and started floating away.

“It kind of all turned bad very, very quickly,” she noted.

The parent also spoke of having to make “an incredibly tough choice” to instruct her son to make the swim for help.

“I knew he was the strongest and he could do it,” she commented.

The Successful Mission

The youth recalled being “completely out of breath”.

“I just pressed on, I do the breaststroke, I do freestyle, I do elementary backstroke,” he explained.

The emergency call was made at around 6pm.

At roughly 8.30pm, ten hours after they first set out, the group were located and saved. They had floated about fourteen kilometres out to sea.

The recording was released with the parents' permission.

A forward commander who coordinated the search and rescue effort said the group was in an “incredibly perilous state”.

“They were in real trouble, and time was extremely pressing given how long they had been in the water and with light running out.

“What the teenager did was truly remarkable. His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were instrumental in bringing about a rescue.”

The sergeant also praised how the youth calmly conveyed key facts.

When asked to describe the equipment for the authorities, the boy said: “They were a green and white colour.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but they had this rod, and there was a fish hooked. As we caught one.”