A 13-year-old boy swam for hours to save his mother and two siblings after they were swept out to sea on Friday.

Austin Appelbee, 13, his 47-year-old mother, his 12-year-old brother, and his 8-year-old sister were kayaking and paddleboarding at Geographe Bay in Western Australia when strong winds blew their paddleboat off course.

“One of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make was to say to Austin, ‘try and get to shore to get some help,’ because it was getting serious really quickly,” the mother said. Austin swam about four kilometers back to shore to seek help.

He was able to raise the alarm at around 6:00 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT), prompting a search and rescue operation.

“Thankfully, all three people were wearing life jackets, which contributed to their survival,” Inspector James Bradley said.

The family received immediate medical attention after being rescued and were taken to a nearby hospital.

“The bravery, strength and courage shown by this family were extraordinary, especially the young fella who swam 4 km to raise the alarm,” the Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group said.

Source: BBC News