An Australian 13-year-old who swam 4km (2.49 miles) to shore and then ran 2km (1.24 miles) to get help for his stranded family has been described as “superhuman”.
Experts say Austin Appelbee’s feat of endurance exceeded the limits of what is normally perceived as possible. So how was the teenager able to save the day, and is there any precedent for it?
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What happened to Austin Appelbee’s family? Austin and his family were on holiday in Quindalup, 200km (124 miles) south of Perth, when strong winds pushed their inflatable paddleboards and kayak offshore from Geographe Bay on Friday afternoon. His mother, Joanne Appelbee, told him to swim ashore to seek help, telling the ABC: “I knew he was the stro
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