Teen Hero Austin Appelbee Opens Up About His “Courageous Swim” to Save Mum and Siblings Swept Out to Sea Off WA Coast – Swam 4km Back to Shore While Family Clung to Paddleboards for Over Eight Hours

A 17-year-old Western Australian teenager has been hailed a hero after swimming 4 kilometres through treacherous ocean currents to raise the alarm and save his mother and three younger siblings who were swept far out to sea while paddleboarding off the state’s south-west coast.

Austin Appelbee spoke publicly for the first time today about the terrifying ordeal that unfolded on Sunday afternoon near Hamelin Bay, approximately 300 km south of Perth. What began as a family fun day on the water quickly turned into a fight for survival when a powerful rip current dragged the group – Austin’s mother Sarah, 42, and his siblings aged 12, 10 and 7 – more than two kilometres offshore.

While the family clung desperately to their paddleboards, battling exhaustion, cold water and growing fear of being carried even further out, Austin made the life-or-death decision to attempt the long swim back to shore alone.

“I looked at Mum and my brothers and sister holding on for dear life, and I knew someone had to get help,” Austin told 7NEWS in an emotional interview. “I was scared – really scared – but I just kept telling myself I had to keep going. There were moments I thought I might not make it, that I might never see them again.”

The teenager battled strong currents and heavy swell for more than an hour before finally reaching the rocks near the bay. Exhausted and suffering from hypothermia, he flagged down a passing fisherman who immediately raised the alarm via marine radio. Volunteer marine rescue crews from Augusta and Busselton, together with police and Surf Life Saving WA, launched a major search operation.

More than eight hours after they were swept away, the remaining family members were located and winched to safety by a RAC Rescue helicopter just before nightfall. All were treated for mild hypothermia and exhaustion but escaped serious injury.

Austin was reunited with his family at hospital later that night. Speaking today with his mother by his side, he admitted the psychological toll has been heavy.

“I feared the worst the whole time I was swimming,” he said quietly. “Every time a wave hit me I thought about them out there alone. When I finally got to shore and saw the rescue chopper take off, I just broke down. I’ve never been so relieved in my life.”

Sarah Appelbee fought back tears as she described her son’s actions.

“He saved us. There’s no other way to say it. He’s always been the strong, quiet one, but what he did that day was beyond brave. He’s our hero – and I’ll never stop telling him that.”

The incident has reignited calls for greater public awareness of rip currents, especially at remote and less-patrolled beaches along Western Australia’s southern coast. Surf Life Saving WA issued a statement praising Austin’s “extraordinary courage” while urging beachgoers to swim between the red-and-yellow flags, check local hazard ratings, and never paddleboard or swim alone in unfamiliar waters.

Austin, a Year 12 student and keen surfer, said he hopes his story encourages others to learn ocean safety skills.

“If I can help one family avoid what we went through, it will all be worth it,” he said. “The ocean is beautiful, but it can turn on you in seconds. Respect it, prepare for it, and never underestimate it.”

Western Australia Police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services have commended the teenager’s actions, describing them as “instrumental in ensuring a positive outcome”.

For now, the Appelbee family is simply grateful to be together.

“We’re taking every day as a gift,” Sarah said. “And we’re so proud of Austin. He’s not just our son – he’s our lifesaver.”

A fundraising page set up by friends of the family to help cover medical costs and replace damaged paddleboards has already surpassed $45,000 in donations, with messages of support pouring in from across Australia and overseas.

Austin Appelbee – once just another teenager enjoying a summer day at the beach – is now one of Western Australia’s newest heroes.

And his courageous swim will be remembered long after the waves have washed away the footprints on Hamelin Bay.