Lithuanian rower had to be rescued by Royal Australian Navy after getting caught in cyclone

A search-and-rescue mission has cost the Australian Defence Force hundreds of thousands of dollars to save a rower caught in Cyclone Alfred.

Sailors from the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Choules approach Lithuanian long-distance rower Aurimas Mockus’s vessel in the storm-tossed Coral Sea. Picture: AFP Photo / Australian Defence Force

A Lithuanian rower was rescued by a Royal Australian Navy ship on Monday morning after he was caught in Cyclone Alfred’s turbulent path off the Queensland coast.

Aurimas Mockus was days from completing a 12,000km solo row from San Diego in the US to Brisbane when he was struck by gale-force winds on the edge of the cyclonic system.

He activated an emergency beacon on Friday night and authorities sent a rescue aircraft to his location, about 740km east of Mackay, off the north Queensland coast.

The Cairns-based aircraft could not spot the 44-year-old or his solo vessel but was able to make temporary radio contact.

HMAS Choules sailors prepare to pluck a solo rowboat adventurer from rough seas on Monday.

Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Choules was then sent from a port in Brisbane.

After three days of rough seas and 130km/h winds, the 16,000-tonne ship found the exhausted rower and rescued him at 6.30am on Monday morning.

“The solo sailor has been rescued and is safely on board HMAS Choules undergoing a medical assessment,” a Royal Australian Navy representative said.

Chief Petty Officer medic Peter Gough leads solo rowboat adventurer Aurimas Mockus to the ship's hospital aboard HMAS Choules.

It’s estimated the rescue would have cost the ADF more than $1m, based on previous reports and allowing for inflation.

In 2012, HMAS Choules reportedly had a daily running cost of $201,621.

Having already spent three days travelling from Brisbane to Mr Mockus’s location off Queensland’s far north coast, the ship is en route to Sydney.

“HMAS Choules will return to Fleet Base East, at HMAS Kuttabul Sydney,” a Royal Australian Navy representative said.

HMAS Choules clocked up more than 700km from Brisbane to Mr Mockus’s location.

Mr Mockus had spent more than three months on the water and was days away from joining a short list of solo rowers to cross the Pacific Ocean without stopping when he was rescued.

Mr Mockus reported no injuries, aside from fatigue on the day his emergency beacon was activated.

Sailors from HMAS Choules with Lithuanian long-distance rower Aurimas Mockus (second from left) who they rescued from the Coral Sea, where Tropical Cyclone Alfred was whipping up 100km/h winds and 7m swells. Picture: ADF/AFP

In a post on his Instagram on February 27, the day before he activated his emergency beacon, the rower said he was bracing for the “maximum power” from Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

On February 28, Mr Mockus posted a video of himself opening the door of his rowing vessel to reveal the intense swells of the tropical system.

“And here is not so much what awaits me tomorrow…the highlight is that I successfully sailed the reefs of Chesterfield islands!!,” he wrote.

“The most important thing is to hold back the next few days.”

Mr Mockus was 90km west of Cyclone Alfred when he made radio contact with authorities on Saturday, March 1.

Lithuania’s Ambassador to Australia Darius Degutis said he was grateful for the efforts of the ADF.

“Extremely thankful for the dedication and professionalism of all those involved in saving Aurimas,” he told ABC News.

“It is thanks to their efforts that he is safe today.”

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had communicated with Mr Mockus through an interpreter and he hadn’t reported any major injuries.