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A 13-year-old Australian boy has been praised for completing a heroic four-hour swim to save his mother and siblings from being swept away by the sea. Western Australiastate police it is stated in the press release on Monday.
The family were on holiday in Quindalup, Geographe Bay, about 250 kilometers south of Perth, when strong winds blew away their paddleboards and kayaks on Friday.
The boy tried to paddle back to shore in his kayak before it took on water, so he swam four hours back to the beach in fading daylight, where he notified authorities that his two brothers, sisters and mother were stranded.
Naturalist Marine Rescue Commander Paul Bresland said Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the boy’s 47-year-old mother, 12-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister were found around 8:30 p.m. Friday, clinging to a paddle board about 14 kilometers from shore.
Bresland said the boy’s efforts were “superhuman.”
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“It is estimated that he swam for the first two hours with a life jacket on,” he said.
“And the brave guy thought he wouldn’t make it with the life jacket on, so he ditched it and swam for the next two hours without the life jacket,” Bresland told the Australian paper.
The Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, which assisted in the rescue effort, he told the BBC“The bravery, strength and courage shown by this family was incredible, especially the young man who swam four kilometers to raise the alarm.”
Once ashore, a multi-agency rescue effort was launched to rescue members of the boy’s family, consisting of WA Water Police, local volunteers and a helicopter.
A voluntary maritime rescue ship was dispatched to their location, and all three were successfully rescued and returned to shore, the 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 ocean conditions can change quickly. Fortunately, all three people were wearing life jackets, which contributed to their survival,” he said. “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised enough – his determination and bravery ended up saving the lives of his mother and siblings.”
Bresland said the boy’s description of the color of the kayaks and paddleboards was instrumental in guiding the successful search.
“Within an hour we found the kayak,” Bradley told the ABC.
He said the family stayed afloat in choppy seas for hours before they were rescued, and that the mother was able to hold on to the other two children with the help of a paddle board.
“Physically, she just said, ‘I’m fighting, I can’t,’ but she just said they were looking in her eyes, and she just went ahead and held them together,” Bresland added.
The trio were examined by St John WA paramedics before being taken to Busselton Health Campus for medical assessment.
The ABC said the family were released from hospital over the weekend and visited the rescue crews who saved their lives to thank them for their efforts.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
