We Require a Helicopter to Search For Them’: Teenager’s Distress Call to Save Relatives Adrift Off Australian Coast Disclosed

“We ended up adrift out there,” the teenager informs the 000 call handler, having swum 4km in rough, open ocean and running 2km to get assistance for his household.

The operator questions how long has passed since he began.

“[It] was a very long time ago … I think they’re kilometres out to sea. I think we must get a chopper to go find them,” he says.

Emergency services have released the emergency phone call made previously after the youth left his loved ones floating at sea off the West Australian coast to seek assistance.

His demeanour remains clear and calm, even as he expresses his concern for his kin.

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

“Mum said to find rescue … We were in serious danger.”

The Harrowing Ordeal

The mother and children had been swept 2.5 miles out to sea in rough conditions while enjoying water sports.

His mum instructed him to set out and find help, so the teenager set off, ditching first his sinking craft then his cumbersome lifejacket to make the journey by swimming.

After making it to shore – after an extensive period – he ran for 1.25 miles to retrieve a 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 sitting on the beach right now, and I have to also explain – 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 pass out.”

A Getaway in Peril

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

The woman later explained that they were having fun when the kids “went out a bit too far”. The wind picked up, they were separated from their equipment, and started drifting.

“It kind of all became dangerous very, very quickly,” she remarked.

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

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

The Rescue Effort

The boy described being “completely out of breath”.

“I just pressed on, I do the breaststroke, I do front crawl, I do survival backstroke,” he said.

The emergency call was made at approximately 6pm.

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

The recording was shared with the parents' permission.

A senior officer who oversaw the operation said the family was in an “extremely dire situation”.

“They were in serious jeopardy, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading.

“What Austin did was nothing short of extraordinary. His heroic actions in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a rescue.”

The officer also commended how the youth calmly conveyed vital details.

When asked to identify the paddleboards for the search crew, the boy 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.”