A 13-year-old boy has been widely praised for an extraordinary act of courage after swimming for four hours through rough seas to raise the alarm and save his mother and two younger siblings, who were swept out to sea off the coast of Western Australia.The incident occurred on Friday afternoon while the Appelbee family were on holiday in Quindalup, around 200 km south of Perth.Strong winds pushed the family’s inflatable paddleboards and a kayak offshore from Geographe Bay, leaving them stranded as conditions rapidly deteriorated.As the family drifted further out to sea, Joanne Appelbee, 47, asked her son Austin to kayak back to shore to seek help. However, the kayak soon began taking on water, forcing the teenager to abandon it and attempt a 4 km swim back to land.Wearing a lifejacket, Austin battled fading daylight, strong currents and rough seas. After two hours, he removed the jacket to help him swim more efficiently.Speaking later to Australia’s national broadcaster ABC, Austin described the fear and exhaustion he endured during the ordeal. He said he focused on positive thoughts to keep going, even recalling childhood characters to distract himself from the danger.“I was very puffed out, but I couldn’t feel how tired I was,” he said.After finally reaching the beach, Austin collapsed from exhaustion before running nearly 2 km to find a phone. He called emergency services, calmly requesting helicopters, planes and boats. Unsure if his family were still alive, he later passed out and was taken to hospital.Western Australia Police received the distress call around 6 pm and launched a multi-agency search and rescue operation involving water police, volunteer marine rescue crews and a rescue helicopter.At about 8:30 pm, Austin’s mother, his brother Beau, 12, and sister Grace, eight, were located approximately 14.5 km offshore, drifting in the ocean and clinging to a paddleboard. All three were safely rescued by a volunteer marine rescue vessel.Rescue officials said Austin’s detailed description of the paddleboards and kayak proved crucial in locating the family. Police praised his determination and courage, calling his actions lifesaving.“All three were wearing lifejackets, which greatly contributed to their survival,” police said, adding that the incident was a reminder that ocean conditions can change rapidly.Austin has since returned to school, though he is using crutches to support his legs following the ordeal.