Story highlights U.S. rower Sonya Baumstein called off her attempt at a world record solo row after eight days at sea

She was rescued safely by the Japanese coast guard on Saturday

She had encountered bad weather and lost 'a critical steering system'

(CNN) A U.S. woman's attempt to row solo from Japan to San Francisco was aborted just eight days into the journey due to bad weather.

Sonya Baumstein, who has since returned to Japan safely, sent out a distress signal on Saturday about 155 miles off the coast of Japan.

A freighter nearby picked her up before passing her on to a coast guard ship, the Japanese coast guard said.

Baumstein set off from the port of Chosi, located east of Tokyo, on June 7 for the 6,000-mile journey, hoping to become the first woman to cross the Pacific alone.

Baumstein's campaign manager, Andrew Cull, posted this statement on her website:

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