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Four teenagers from Australia were rescued after washing up on an island used as a military training base. The Victoria Police said that the group of teens rented two paddleboards in the town of Rosebud on Monday (December 19).
They were paddling through Port Philip bay when strong wind gusts blew them off course. They were unable to fight the high winds and just floated with the tide for several hours in the choppy waters.
After the teens failed to return home, they were reported missing, and authorities dispatched helicopters and boats to look for them.
After floating for roughly 19 miles, the teens made it to the shores of Swan Island around 2 a.m.
"Cold and disorientated, the four found shelter in a hut. Once the sun rose, they wandered the island & were located by security," the Victoria Police said on Twitter.
The teens did not have any injuries but were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition.
"They said they weren't fearful at all, they weren't scared. They were waiting for the tide to bring them back in," Joseph Hong, a family friend of one of the men, told The Age. "They were just stay[ing] together, teamwork and just really encourage each other and think about what they need to do to get help. They could see the land they just wait[ed] for the right time. "