A rower has been rescued just days before he was expected to finish paddling to Australia from the United States.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the Lithuanian solo rower was rescued from the Coral Sea on Monday, March 3 after getting caught in Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Aurimas Mockus was attempting to travel from San Diego to Brisbane when he became stranded 460 miles east of the city of Mackay in Queensland, according to the Associated Press.
The 44-year-old was reportedly just days away from completing his journey, which he began in October 2024. His goal was to become one of the few adventurers to cross the Pacific Ocean solo.
The AMSA “received an emergency beacon alert” from a rower in distress on the night of Friday, Feb. 28, according to the authority’s statement.
Mockus reported feeling “fatigued” upon making contact with the AMSA on Saturday, March 1, the AP reported.
Crews reached Mockus on Monday with assistance from Defence Australia and Royal Australian Navy HMAS Choules L100, AMSA said.
Footage of the rescue, shared on Facebook by the AMSA, showed the boat rocking around in the rough seas as rescuers extracted the rower.
“Because of highly unfavorable sea conditions, Mr. Mockus’s boat could not be recovered except for two oars and some personal items,” the AMSA said, per the AP.
The Royal Australian Navy said Mockus was undergoing a medical assessment on the Navy ship, according to the AP and BBC News.
In their statement, the AMSA thanked everyone involved for their “invaluable assistance with this rescue.”
“This successful outcome highlights the importance of carrying an emergency beacon at all times, as this led to a prompt response to this emergency,” the authority added.
