Western Australia beach miracle: Boy, 13, swims four hours to save family adrift in rough seas

The incredible efforts of a 13-year-old boy at Geographe Bay saved the lives of his mother and younger siblings.

A 13-year-old boy has been hailed a hero after swimming for four hours through open-ocean swells in fading light to find help for his family who had been swept out to sea.

The teen and his family were visiting the quiet coastal Western Australian town of Quindalup last Friday evening when the incident occurred, according to ABC Australia.

Strong winds forced the teen and his 47-year-old mother, 12-year-old brother, and 8-year-old sister adrift while they were kayaking and paddleboarding in Geographe Bay.

Leaving his family behind, the teen attempted to return to shore, but his inflatable kayak became flooded in the rough conditions.

He then swam for more than four hours before reaching land and alerting rescuers to the emergency.

Western Australia Water Police, local marine rescue volunteers and a rescue helicopter joined in the search.

Naturaliste Marine Rescue commander Paul Bresland confirmed the teen’s mother and siblings were found clinging to an inflatable paddleboard 14km offshore at 8.30pm, ABC Australia reported.

“He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on,” he said, describing the teen’s efforts as “superhuman”.

“And the brave fella thought he’s not going to make it with a life jacket on, so he ditched it, and he swam the next two hours without a life jacket.

“I thought, ‘mate, that is incredible’.”

Bresland said the teen’s accurate description of the colour of the watercraft helped rescuers locate the stranded family within an hour.

He also paid tribute to the mother, acknowledging her tenacity throughout the ordeal.

“She’s an absolute hero as well.

“To keep those two children together and not give up is absolutely incredible.

“Physically, she just said, ‘I’m struggling, I can’t,’ but she just said, they’re looking her in the eye, and she just kept going and kept them together.”

South West Police Inspector James Bradley said the teen “cannot be praised highly enough, and that his determined and courageous efforts saved his family’s lives.

ABC Australia reported the family were taken to Busselton Health Campus after initial checks by paramedics.

They were later discharged from hospital and were understood to have visited the teams involved in their rescue to convey their thanks.

Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.