MELBOURNE, Australia: An Australian warship rescued Lithuanian adventurer Aurimas Mockus this week after he became stranded in the Coral Sea while attempting a solo row across the Pacific Ocean.

Mockus, 44, had been rowing nonstop from San Diego to Brisbane when he encountered Tropical Cyclone Alfred and was forced to activate an emergency beacon.

Mockus was left stranded 740 kilometers (460 miles) off the Queensland coast as 80 kph (50 mph) winds and stormy seas battered his small enclosed rowing boat.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority coordinated the rescue, sending a plane on Saturday to establish contact. Mockus reported he was fatigued but otherwise unharmed.

The Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Choules reached him on March 3, pulling him aboard and conducting a medical assessment. However, officials said his boat could not be recovered, except for two oars and some personal belongings.

The navy is transporting Mockus south to Sydney as the cyclone continues to track towards the Australian coast. Authorities expect it to make landfall on March 6 or March 7.

Mockus had been at sea since October, rowing the 12,000-kilometer (7,500-mile) journey from California to Australia. He was just days away from his final destination in Brisbane when the storm hit.

His goal was to join the small group of adventurers who had completed a solo, nonstop row across the Pacific Ocean.

Among those who have completed similar journeys are Peter Bird (UK). In 1983, he rowed from San Francisco, coming within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of Australia before being towed ashore. John Beeden (UK) rowed from San Francisco to Cairns in 2015, achieving what some consider the first true solo crossing.

Michelle Lee (Australia) became the first woman to row from Mexico to Queensland ) in 2023.

At the age of 24, Tom Robinson (Australia) attempted to become the youngest person to cross the Pacific in 2022 but had to abandon his journey after capsizing near Vanuatu.

While Mockus' Pacific row ended in rescue, his daring attempt highlights the extreme challenges of solo ocean rowing.