Lithuanian rower Aurimas Mockus was rescued by the Australian Navy after his solo attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean took a dangerous turn in the path of tropical cyclone Alfred.
The 44-year-old adventurer was 740km off the Queensland coast when his vessel was battered by fierce winds reaching 130km/h.
Mockus had been attempting a 12,000km journey from San Diego to Brisbane, rowing an average of 70 nautical miles per day. However, on Friday night, as the cyclone intensified, he was forced to send a distress signal.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) quickly launched a search operation, deploying a Challenger rescue aircraft from Cairns. Initial efforts were hampered by extreme weather conditions, with 80km/h winds and heavy seas making it difficult to locate him. By Sunday, conditions had eased slightly, but the area remained under the influence of the category-two cyclone.
Early Monday morning, after two days of uncertainty, Mockus was safely rescued by the Australian Navy ship HMAS Choules. He was immediately given a medical assessment onboard, but his shore team confirmed that he had not suffered any serious injuries. Before being rescued, he had been bailing water from his vessel and maintaining communication with rescuers.
Mockus began his journey in October 2024, aiming to join the small group of solo rowers who have completed a nonstop Pacific crossing. British rower Peter Bird was the first to achieve the feat in 1983, followed by John Beeden in 2015 and Australian Michelle Lee in 2023.
Although his mission was cut short just days before reaching Brisbane, Mockus’s survival and rescue after facing the full force of a cyclone highlight both his endurance and the swift response of Australian authorities.