‘We Need a Aircraft to Locate Them’: 13-Year-Old’s Emergency Call to Rescue Relatives Lost Off Aussie Coast Unveiled

“We got lost out there,” a 13-year-old boy tells the 000 call handler, having swum four kilometres in rough, open water and jogging two kilometres to get assistance for his household.

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

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

Authorities have disclosed the emergency phone call made last month after the youth left his family adrift at sea off the WA coast to find rescuers.

His tone remains lucid and collected, even as he details his concern for his family.

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

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

The Perilous Situation

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

His mother instructed him to take his kayak and locate rescue, so the youth commenced, abandoning first his sinking craft then his unwieldy PFD to make the journey by swimming.

After making it to shore – four hours later – he ran for two kilometres to retrieve 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 emergency services.

“I’m positioned 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 extremely tired. I have hyperthermia, and I feel like I’m about to collapse.”

A Holiday Turned Crisis

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

“It sort of all became dangerous very, very quickly,” she said.

The mother also described having to make “one of the hardest decisions” to instruct her son to make the swim for help.

“I knew he was the best swimmer and he could do it,” she stated.

The Rescue Effort

The boy recalled being “completely out of breath”.

“I just continued swimming, I do the breaststroke, I do front crawl, I do a floating stroke,” he said.

The call for help was made at approximately 6pm.

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

The audio was shared with the family’s permission.

A forward commander who coordinated the operation said the group was in an “extremely dire situation”.

“They were in serious jeopardy, and time was of the essence given how long they had been in the water and with night approaching.

“What the boy did was truly remarkable. His fortitude and resolve in those conditions were exceptional, and his actions were crucial in bringing about a successful outcome.”

The officer also praised how the boy effectively communicated vital details.

When asked to describe the boards for the rescue team, the youth said: “They were green and white.”

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