By admin 
A Lithuanian rower attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean alone has triggered an emergency rescue after getting caught in severe weather near Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Aurimas Mockus, who set off from San Diego in October 2024 on a solo rowing journey to Brisbane, activated his emergency beacon on Friday night. His location was tracked to approximately 740 km east of Mackay, Queensland, and about 90 km west of the cyclone’s path.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported that Mockus was facing extreme conditions on Sunday, including winds of up to 100 km/h and waves as high as seven meters.
Rescue Operation in Progress
A Royal Australian Navy vessel, HMAS Choules, a 16,000-tonne landing ship, has been deployed from Brisbane to assist in the rescue. The ship is expected to reach Mockus by Monday morning.
Meanwhile, AMSA has been in communication with Mockus via an interpreter using a Challenger rescue aircraft. Although exhausted, he confirmed that he had no major injuries. A surveillance flight by the Royal Australian Air Force on Saturday was unable to spot his vessel due to rough seas, but a second aircraft was sent from RAAF Base Edinburgh near Adelaide to continue the search.
Images taken from an RAAF aircraft show Mockus’ small boat being tossed by massive waves in the Coral Sea.
Fighting for Survival
In a message to his team on Thursday, Mockus described the dire situation, stating that rowing had become “out of the question – I need to survive.” He later added that he was now “in God’s hands” and that the next few days were “crucial” to his survival.
“Last night was utterly sleepless, but with immense effort, I successfully navigated around the Chesterfield Islands’ reefs. From here on, it’s in God’s hands. The most important thing is to endure the next few days – they will be crucial,” he said.
Mockus further explained that strong ocean currents were carrying him at a high speed, but not in the right direction. He feared drifting too far west, closer to the cyclone’s path.
“I hope the north wind will allow me to escape the typhoon (pushing me downward) as the drift is already massive – I don’t need to row. There are 500 nautical miles left if I manage to row directly toward Brisbane, but that’s hard to say because the typhoon is waiting ahead,” he wrote.
Due to overcast conditions, his solar-powered battery was running low. To conserve power, Mockus shut down all non-essential equipment, keeping only communication with his shore team.
Cyclone’s Impact on the Region
As of Sunday, Tropical Cyclone Alfred was positioned about 500 km east of Rockhampton. The category two cyclone was moving south parallel to the coastline but was forecast to weaken slightly and shift southeast on Monday. By Tuesday, it is expected to slow and turn west, heading back toward the southern Queensland coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that strong to gale-force winds could impact K’gari (Fraser Island) on Sunday.
A Record-Breaking Attempt
If Mockus completes his journey, he would become the first person to row across the Pacific on this specific route. Additionally, if he reaches Australia within 22 days from Sunday, he would break a Guinness World Record for the fastest solo Pacific crossing.
Several adventurers have attempted solo crossings of the Pacific. British rowers Peter Bird (1983) and John Beeden (2015), along with Australian Michelle Lee (2023), successfully completed their journeys. However, others have not been as fortunate.
In 2023, 24-year-old Tom Robinson attempted the same feat but was rescued by a passing cruise ship after his boat capsized. In 2020, Paralympic rowing champion Angela Madsen tragically died while attempting to row solo from California to Hawaii.
Awaiting Rescue
As the rescue operation continues, Mockus remains at the mercy of the rough seas. AMSA has stated that conditions have improved slightly, but the area remains under the influence of Cyclone Alfred, making the rescue mission extremely challenging.
His team has not provided further updates, and all eyes are on HMAS Choules, which is expected to reach the stranded rower by Monday morning.
Gill Bikram Singh