Audio has surfaced of 13-year-old hero Austin Appelbee's triple-zero call, after the Western Australian teen swam 4km against a strong current to seek help for his stranded mother and siblings.
On 30 January, Austin's family rented paddleboards and a kayak at Quindalup, about 250km south of Perth, before heading out into the waters of the vast Geographe Bay.
Around noon, rough ocean and wind conditions started dragging them out to sea.
Appelbee swam to shore to raise the alarm, leading to the rescue of his mother Joanne Appelbee, 47, brother Beau, 12, and sister Grace, eight, who had drifted 14km offshore.
'Remarkable', police say
On Wednesday, the Western Australian Police Force shared a portion of the recording of Austin's triple-zero call.
"We couldn't get back to shore and mum told me to go back to get help. I haven't seen them since then," Appelbee told the operator.
"I think they're kilometres out to sea. I think we need a helicopter to go find them. I'm sitting on the beach right now. I think I need an ambulance because I think I've got hypothermia."
Appelbee then provides precise details about when the group entered the water and the colours of their paddleboards.
"Mum said: 'Go get help'. We were in massive trouble," Appelbee said.
A search helicopter found the mother and two children wearing life jackets and clinging to a paddleboard at 8.30pm local time, police said.
Acting sergeant Andrew McDonnell described Appelbee's actions as "nothing short of extraordinary".
"His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a successful outcome," he said in a statement.
McDonnell described the family's situation as dire.
"They were in real trouble, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading," he said.
"By getting himself to safety and relaying critical information, he helped enable a coordinated response involving WA Police, local Marine Rescue volunteers and St John Ambulance — all people who live in and serve this community, many of whom do so as volunteers."
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