We Require a Helicopter to Search For Them’: 13-Year-Old’s Emergency Call to Rescue Loved Ones Stranded Off Aussie Coast Disclosed

“We got lost out there,” the teenager informs the triple-zero dispatcher, following a swim four kilometres in treacherous, the sea and running two kilometres to summon rescue for his family.

The dispatcher questions how much time has gone by since he began.

“[It] was a very long time ago … I think they’re a long way from land. I think we must get a chopper to locate them,” he states.

Emergency services have released the recorded plea made previously after the youth departed from his relatives drifting at sea off the West Australian coast to seek assistance.

His voice remains steady and composed, even as he voices his fear for his family members.

“I have no idea about what their status is right now, and I’m really scared,” he tells the person on the line.

“Mum said to find rescue … We were in grave peril.”

The Harrowing Ordeal

The family group had been pulled four kilometres out to sea in rough conditions while using kayaks and paddleboards.

His mother urged him to use his craft and find help, so the boy set off, ditching first his failing kayak then his cumbersome lifejacket to swim the distance.

After getting to the beach – after an extensive period – he raced for two kilometres to access a mobile phone.

“Hello, my name is Austin … I have a brother and sister, Beau and Grace. Beau is 12 and Grace is eight,” he tells the call handler.

“I’m positioned on the beach right now, and I have to also mention – I think I need an medical help because I think I have hypothermia … I’m really, I’m utterly fatigued. I have heatstroke, and I feel like I’m about to faint.”

A Holiday Turned Crisis

The family was on holiday in Quindalup, 125 miles south of Perth. They began their trip from Geographe Bay around 10am on a Friday in late January.

The parent later recalled that they were having fun when the kids “drifted further than intended”. The conditions worsened, they were separated from their equipment, and started being carried out.

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

The mother also described having to make “an incredibly tough choice” to send her son to swim ashore.

“I knew he was the best swimmer and he was able to manage it,” she stated.

The Successful Mission

The boy recalled being “extremely winded”.

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

The call for help was made at about 6pm.

At around 8.30pm, a full ten hours after they first set out, the group were found and brought to safety. They had been carried about 14km out to sea.

The audio was shared with the parents' permission.

A forward commander who managed the search and rescue effort said the group was in an “extremely dire situation”.

“They were in serious jeopardy, and time was absolutely critical given how much time they had been in the water and with night approaching.

“What the teenager did was nothing short of extraordinary. His heroic actions in those conditions were astonishing, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a positive result.”

The officer also commended how the youth effectively communicated vital details.

When asked to detail the boards for the rescue team, the boy responded: “They were green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but they had this rod, and there was a fish hooked. Since we hooked one.”