Teen swims for four hours to save mother, siblings

A 13-year-old boy in Western Australia swam for nearly four hours to reach shore and raise the alarm after his mother and two younger siblings were swept out to sea, authorities said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday afternoon in Geographe Bay, where the family had been paddleboarding and kayaking when strong winds caused their vessels to drift into open waters, police said.

The teenager initially attempted to return to shore by kayak but abandoned it after water entered the craft. He then swam approximately four kilometres through rough seas to reach land, reports BBC.

Paul Bresland, commander of the Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, said the boy swam for about two hours wearing a life jacket before removing it and continuing for another two hours.

After reaching shore at around 6:00pm, the boy alerted authorities, triggering a coordinated search and rescue operation. A rescue helicopter later located the mother, aged 47, along with the boy’s 12-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister, clinging to a paddleboard about 14 kilometres offshore. A volunteer rescue vessel subsequently brought them safely to shore.

Senior police officer James Bradley said the incident demonstrated how quickly sea conditions can deteriorate. He added that the family survived because they were wearing life jackets and that the rescue would likely not have been possible without the boy’s actions.

The family members were taken to hospital for precautionary medical checks and were later reported to be in stable condition.