‘We Need a Chopper to Locate Them’: Adolescent’s Urgent Plea to Save Loved Ones Stranded Off Down Under Coast Disclosed

“We got lost out there,” a 13-year-old boy explains to the 000 call handler, after swimming 2.5 miles in treacherous, open water and jogging two kilometres to secure help for his kin.

The dispatcher questions how long has elapsed since he set off.

“[It] was ages past … I think they’re far offshore. I think we need a chopper to search for them,” he reports.

Police have made public the recorded plea made previously after the youth left his relatives floating at sea off the WA coast to seek assistance.

His tone remains lucid and collected, even as he details his worry for his family.

“I have no idea about what their status is right now, and I’m really scared,” he informs the operator.

“Mum said to find rescue … We were in massive trouble.”

The Dangerous Incident

The holidaymakers had been carried 2.5 miles out to sea in rough conditions while using kayaks and paddleboards.

His mum asked him to take his kayak and get assistance, so the teenager set off, abandoning first his sinking craft then his bulky flotation device to swim the distance.

After getting to the beach – after an extensive period – he sprinted for 2km to retrieve 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 operator.

“I’m located on the beach right now, and I have to also mention – I think I need an ambulance because I think I have exposure … I’m really, I’m extremely tired. I have hyperthermia, and I feel like I’m about to faint.”

A Getaway in Peril

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

The woman later explained that they were having fun when the children “drifted further than intended”. The wind picked up, they lost their oars, and started drifting.

“It sort of all went wrong very, very quickly,” she remarked.

The parent also spoke of having to make “a terribly difficult call” to instruct her son to swim ashore.

“I knew he was the most capable and he was able to manage it,” she said.

The Successful Mission

The teenager described being “extremely winded”.

“I just continued swimming, I do breaststroke, I do freestyle, I do elementary backstroke,” he explained.

The emergency call was made at around 6pm.

At roughly 8.30pm, many hours after they first departed, the stranded individuals were spotted and rescued. They had floated about fourteen kilometres out to sea.

The audio was released with the mother’s permission.

A forward commander who oversaw the search and rescue effort said the family was in an “desperately dangerous position”.

“They were in genuine danger, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with night approaching.

“What the teenager did was truly remarkable. His heroic actions in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were crucial in bringing about a successful outcome.”

The officer also praised how the boy calmly conveyed critical information.

When asked to describe the equipment for the search crew, the teenager replied: “They were coloured green and white.”

“And I’m not sure if it’s there, but they had this fishing rod, and there was a catch on the line. Since we managed to catch a fish.”