13 saal ka Australian ladka Austin Appelbee, jo apni family ke liye madad lane ke liye ghanton tak samundar me tairta raha, usne BBC se kaha:
“Maine kabhi nahi socha main hero hoon – maine bas wahi kiya jo mujhe karna tha.”
Austin ko khud nahi pata tha ki jab wo shore tak pahuncha, tab uski maa Joanne, chhota bhai Beau aur behen Grace zinda bhi hain ya nahi.
Wo unhe samundar me do paddleboards se chipke hue chhod kar madad lane nikla tha.
Australia ke west coast ke paas, samundar ke beech, waves dheere-dheere tez ho rahi thi aur roshni kam hoti ja rahi thi. Us waqt Joanne ko lag raha tha ki shayad Austin bhi wapas nahi aa payega.
Sirf kuch ghante baad, jab Joanne ne finally rescue boat dekhi, tab usse pata chala ki Austin safe hai. Tab tak wo log 14 km offshore drift kar chuke the.
Jo ek normal family beach day thi, wo 10 ghante ke nightmare me badal chuki thi.
Rescuers ne baad me Austin ke swim ko “superhuman” kaha.
“Mujhe laga tha Austin nahi bach paya,”
47 saal ki Joanne ne BBC News ko bataya.
Aakhir me, sab safe the.
“End bilkul perfect tha – sab thake hue the, dard me the, lekin koi serious injury nahi thi.”
‘Ek bahut tough battle’
Family last Friday Perth wapas jaane wali thi aur beach ke paas shallow water me paddleboards aur kayak ke saath masti kar rahi thi.
Tab bachche thode zyada aage nikal gaye.
“Achaanak hawa tez ho gayi,” Joanne ne kaha.
“Humne oars kho diye, aur hum drift karte chale gaye… sab kuch bohot jaldi galat ho gaya.”
Quindalup beach (Western Australia) se door jaate hue Joanne samajh gayi ki kuch karna padega, lekin wo 12 saal ke Beau aur 8 saal ki Grace ko akela chhod nahi sakti thi.
Isliye unhone Austin ko madad lane bheja, kyunki unhe laga shore paas hi hai.
Austin ne kayak li, lekin kisi ko nahi pata tha ki wo already damaged thi aur pani bhar raha tha.
“Kayak palatne lagi, phir maine ek oar kho diya,” Austin ne bataya.
“Tab mujhe samajh aa gaya ki main trouble me hoon. Main haath se paddle karne laga.”
Kuch der ke liye kayak sambhal gayi, lekin phir last time usne Austin ko gira diya.
Ulti hui kayak ko pakad ke latakte hue, Austin ko laga usne pani me kuch dekha.
Tab usne decide kiya ki ab use koi bada decision lena hoga.
“Ab situation dangerous ho chuki thi. Main already kaafi ghante pani me tha.”
Wo apni family ko dekh bhi nahi pa raha tha, aur udhar Joanne aur bachche bhi usse nahi dekh pa rahe the.
Waves aur badi hoti ja rahi thi, visibility kam ho rahi thi.
Sabke paas life jackets the, lekin na khana, na pani.
“Mujhe laga Austin kaafi jaldi pahunch jayega,” Joanne ne kaha.
“Par jaise-jaise time guzarta gaya, koi boat nahi aayi.”
“Mere dimaag me sirf yahi chal raha tha — agar Austin nahi bach paya, to kya maine galat decision liya? Kya koi mere baaki do bachchon ko bachane aayega?”
4 km ka swim – bina life jacket ke
Austin ne aakhri 4 km swim karna shuru kiya.
Kuch der baad usne apni life jacket bhi chhod di, kyunki wo help nahi kar rahi thi.
Agle do ghante usse prayers, Christian songs aur positive thoughts ne chalaye rakha. Wo bohot dara hua tha.
“Main mum, Beau aur Grace ke baare me soch raha tha,”
“Main apne doston aur girlfriend ke baare me bhi soch raha tha.”
“Jab mere pair zameen ko lage, to mujhe laga — kya main sapna dekh raha hoon?”
Phir ek aur khayal aaya:
“Meri family abhi bhi zinda ho sakti hai… mujhe unhe bachana hi hoga.”
Shaam 6 baje (local time) ke aas-paas wo finally shore par pahuncha, apni maa ka bag mila aur help ke liye call ki.
Is call ke baad bada search operation shuru hua.
Call karne ke baad Austin behosh ho gaya aur hospital le jaya gaya. Wahan se usne apne father ko phone kiya, rote hue, kyunki use abhi bhi nahi pata tha ki uski family zinda hai ya nahi.
Phir kuch hi minutes baad call aayi —
“They’ve been found.”
Doctors aur police khushi se uchhal pade.
“Wo moment main kabhi nahi bhoolunga,” Austin ne kaha.
Udhar samundar me Joanne apne bachchon ko sambhalne ki koshish kar rahi thi. Sab thand se kaanp rahe the, andhera ho chuka tha, aur use lag raha tha Austin shayad nahi bach paya.
“Koi bhi hume bachane aata hua nahi dikh raha tha,”
“Lag raha tha ab hum bilkul akela hain.”
Rescue boat dikhne ke baad bhi wo relax nahi kar paayi, kyunki bachche pani me gir gaye the aur wo un tak pahunchne ki koshish kar rahi thi.
“Wo ek complete nightmare tha.”
Aakhir sab safe
Zameen par laakar sabko hospital me minor injuries ke liye treat kiya gaya.
Wahi ambulance worker, jo Austin ko laya tha, usne confirm kiya — Austin bhi safe hai.
Austin wapas school bhi chala gaya hai, haan thoda mushkil se — pair bohot zyada sore hain, crutches ke saath.
Ab, paanch din baad bhi, wo sab kuch process kar raha hai.
Wo khud ko hero nahi maanta, chahe log kitna bhi bolen.
Uske liye ye bas ek “tough battle” thi.
Wo praise deta hai ambulance crew aur triple zero emergency response ko.
Lekin baaki log alag hi level par uski tareef kar rahe hain.
Volunteer Marine Rescue Group ke commander ne uske effort ko “superhuman” kaha.
Aur police officer ne bola:
“Uski himmat aur determination ko jitna praise karein kam hai —
uske actions ne hi uski maa aur siblings ki jaan bachayi.”
Indian Swimming News Or International Swimming News Padhne Ke Liye Facebook Par Swimswam Hindi Ko Like Karna Na Bhule:-SwimSwamHindi
