Coast Guard apprehends Florida man for using hamster wheel vessel to cross Atlantic.
The Coast Guard’s Arrest of a Man Attempting to Cross the Atlantic in a ”Human-Powered Hamster Wheel”
The Coast Guard made a dramatic arrest on Wednesday when they apprehended a man from Florida who was attempting to cross the Atlantic in a unique vessel known as a “human-powered hamster wheel.” Reza Baluchi, the daring adventurer, was taken into custody 70 miles off the coast of Georgia, just as Hurricane Franklin was approaching the area.
Baluchi’s ambitious voyage, which he referred to as his “hydro-pod” vessel, was deemed by the Coast Guard as a “manifestly unsafe” endeavor. Despite the imminent danger, Baluchi was determined to reach London using his unconventional contraption.
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Following his arrest, Baluchi has been charged with obstruction of boarding. He has signed a bond agreement of $250,000, and his attorney has been instructed to appear in court, as stated in official court documents.
The Coast Guard described Baluchi’s vessel as being kept afloat by wiring and buoys. The arrest itself followed a peculiar three-day standoff between Baluchi and the authorities, according to the Coast Guard’s official release.
During the confrontation, Baluchi refused to disembark from his vessel and even brandished two knives, threatening self-harm if the officers attempted to board. These charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, as reported by NBC News.
Additionally, Baluchi made alarming claims of possessing a bomb and threatened to detonate it. This prompted the Coast Guard to contact the Navy for assistance in locating the alleged explosive device. However, Baluchi later admitted that the bomb was not real, according to the complaint.
This is not the first time Baluchi has encountered legal trouble. In 2014, he was found by the Coast Guard 70 miles off the coast of Florida, inside an inflatable bubble. At that time, he claimed to be attempting to run around the infamous Bermuda Triangle.
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