‘We Need a Chopper to Search For Them’: Adolescent’s Distress Call to Aid Family Lost Off Australian Coast Revealed

“We ended up adrift out there,” young Austin Appelbee explains to the 000 call handler, after swimming 2.5 miles in rough, the sea and sprinting 2km to secure help for his family.

The dispatcher inquires how long has gone by since he started out.

“[It] was quite some time back … I think they’re kilometres out to sea. I think we must get a chopper to search for them,” he says.

Authorities have disclosed the recorded plea made in recent weeks after the teen departed from his loved ones floating at sea off the Western Australian coast to fetch help.

His voice remains steady and composed, even as he voices his worry for his family members.

“I have no idea about what their condition is right now, and I’m really scared,” he confides in the operator.

“Mum said go get help … We were in grave peril.”

The Dangerous Incident

The family group had been swept 2.5 miles out to sea in rough conditions while enjoying water sports.

His parent urged him to set out and find help, so the youth set off, discarding first his failing kayak then his bulky flotation device to swim the distance.

After reaching land – four hours later – he ran for 2km to retrieve a cell phone.

“Hello, my name is Austin … I have a brother and sister, Beau and Grace. Beau is 12 and Grace is eight,” he states the call handler.

“I’m located on the beach right now, and I have to also mention – I think I need an ambulance because I think I have a dangerously low body temperature … I’m really, I’m completely exhausted. I have sunstroke, and I feel like I’m about to collapse.”

A Vacation Gone Wrong

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

The mother later described that they were having fun when the kids “drifted further than intended”. The wind picked up, they lost their oars, and started drifting.

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

The mother also spoke of having to make “one of the hardest decisions” to send her son to swim ashore.

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

The Successful Mission

The boy recalled being “very puffed out”.

“I just keep swimming, I do breaststroke, I do freestyle, I do survival backstroke,” he explained.

The emergency call was made at about 6pm.

At roughly 8.30pm, a full ten hours after they first set out, the group were spotted and rescued. They had been carried about 14km out to sea.

The emergency call was made public with the mother’s permission.

A police sergeant who oversaw the search and rescue effort said the family was in an “incredibly perilous state”.

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

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

The commander also commended how the teenager clearly relayed vital details.

When asked to describe the boards for the search crew, the teenager replied: “They were coloured green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s there, but they had this fishing line, and there was a fish on there. Since we managed to catch a fish.”