Defence to the rescue as man rowing from US to Brisbane encounters tropical cyclone
A Royal Australian Navy ship is bound for the Coral Sea after a Lithuanian man rowing from California to Brisbane got into trouble.
Aurimas Mockus activated his emergency beacon on Friday night about 740 kilometres east of Mackay and 90 kilometres west of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Rowing solo from San Diego to Brisbane, Mockus was battling 80km/h winds and heavy seas when he called for help, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
Aurimas Mockus is facing rough seas as Tropical Cyclone Alfred bears down on him in the Coral Sea.Credit: Aurimas Mockus
A Cairns-based Challenger jet failed to spot the vessel on Saturday but managed to make contact with Mockus, who said he was tired.
An aircraft was sent from Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh near Adelaide, and another will be sent on Sunday to maintain communications.
HMAS Choules, a 16,000-tonne navy landing ship, is en route from Brisbane to help.
“Further information on the condition of the rower and his boat will be sought from him today,” a safety authority spokesperson said.
Weather conditions have eased near the Coral Sea but it’s still within the influence of the cyclone, which was about 510 kilometres east of Rockhampton on Sunday morning.
