WA watchdog makes initial enquiries after family washed out to sea

Reporting by Theguardian says WorkSafe WA is making 'initial enquiries' into the hotel that hired out a kayak and inflatable paddleboards to a family who was washed out to sea and later rescued. The Appelbee family were on holiday in Quindalup when strong winds pushed their vessels offshore from Geographe Bay.

Joanne Appelbee made the decision to send her 13-year-old son to swim for four hours through tumultuous waters to raise the alarm; after he reached shore and alerted emergency services, she and her two younger children were found drifting and clinging to a paddleboard about 14km offshore.

A spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had been alerted and was making inquiries. Club Wyndham Resort, where the family was staying, denied wrongdoing, saying guests are free to use resort equipment until late in the day and that the beach is unpatrolled; the resort said it is conducting a safety review and has not responded to Guardian Australia’s request for further comment.

Australia, Quindalup