13-year-old Australian boy swims ‘superhuman’ to save family in need – National
Johannesburg – A 13-year-old Australian boy has been commended for completing a heroic four-hour swim to save his mother and siblings from flooding at sea in Western Australia, state police said in a statement on Monday.
The family were on holiday in Quindalup, Geographe Bay, about 250 kilometers south of Perth, on Friday, when strong winds blew their windsurfing boards and kayak off the coast.
The boy tried to paddle his kayak back to shore before it began to take on water, so he swam four hours back to shore in broad daylight, where he reported to authorities that his two siblings and mother were trapped.
Naturaliste Marine Rescue Commander Paul Bresland told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the boy’s 47-year-old mother, 12-year-old brother and 8-year-old sister were found at around 8:30pm on Friday, clinging to a paddleboard 14 kilometers from shore.
Bresland said the boy’s efforts were “beyond human.”
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“He swam, I think the first two hours with a jacket on,” he said.
“And this brave guy thought he couldn’t make it with the jacket on, so he gave it up, and he swam for the next two hours without the jacket,” Bresland told the Australian outlet.
The Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, which assisted in the rescue effort, told the BBC, “The courage, strength and courage shown by this family was amazing, especially the young boy who swam four kilometers to raise the alarm.”
Once he landed, a multi-agency effort was launched to rescue members of the boy’s family, including WA Water Police, local volunteers and a helicopter.
A volunteer sea rescue vessel was directed to the scene, and all three were successfully rescued and brought back to shore, police confirmed.
Insp. James Bradley said the incident should serve as a reminder of how quickly conditions at sea can change and the importance of taking safety precautions.
“This incident is a reminder that sea conditions can change quickly. Fortunately, all three people were wearing life jackets, which contributed to their survival,” he said. “The actions of a 13-year-old boy cannot be praised enough – his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”
Bresland said the boy’s description of the color of the kayak and paddleboards was important in guiding a successful search effort.
“Within an hour, we found the kayak,” Bradley told ABC.
He said the family was floating in the rough sea for hours before being rescued, the mother was able to protect the other two children with the help of a paddle board.
“Physically, he just said, ‘I’m struggling, I can’t,’ but he just told them to look him in the eye, and he kept going and kept them together,” added Bresland.
The trio were assessed by St John WA paramedics before being transferred to the Busselton Health Campus for assessment.
ABC said the family left the hospital at the weekend and visited the rescue workers who saved their lives to thank them for their efforts.
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