A Florida man was arrested after attempting to cross the Atlantic in a giant hamster wheel amid a hurricane despite warnings from officials.
A Florida man was recently arrested after he tried to run across the Atlantic Ocean in a homemade hamster wheel.
This unusual attempt happened while Hurricane Franklin was approaching, creating dangerous conditions at sea.
Florida man attempts to run across Atlantic in ‘human-powered hamster wheel’
The man, Reza Baluchi, is 44 years old and has a history of similar stunts.
He was spotted about 70 miles off the coast of Tybee Island, Georgia, as he attempted his ambitious journey in a contraption he calls a Hydro Pod.
This device is essentially a large, inflatable hamster wheel designed for him to run inside.
It consists of a metal drum with buoyant sides and paddles that move when he runs.
The man was arrested for his risky challenge
When the U.S. Coast Guard found Baluchi, they considered his voyage highly unsafe due to the stormy weather.
The Coast Guard officers reported that the vessel was not seaworthy and posed serious risks to his safety.
Despite the dangerous circumstances, Baluchi insisted that he planned to run more than 4,000 miles to reach London.
“Based on the condition of the vessel — which was afloat as a result of wiring and buoys — USCG officers determined Baluchi was conducting a manifestly unsafe voyage,” the affidavit said.
During the rescue operation, Baluchi made alarming threats, claiming he had a knife and a bomb on board.
This led to a tense standoff that lasted several days.
Ultimately, he was brought to safety at a Coast Guard base in Miami Beach, Florida.
Baluchi faced federal charges for obstructing boarding and violating a Captain of the Port order.
Man’s determined Atlantic crossings aim to raise charity awareness
This is not his first encounter with the Coast Guard; he has attempted similar journeys at least three times in the past, dating back to 2014.
In interviews, Baluchi has stated that his goals go beyond just making a daring crossing.
He claims he wants to raise money for various charitable causes, including support for the Coast Guard and local police.
He believes his adventures can help draw attention to important issues, particularly homelessness.
“My goal is to not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department,” Baluchi said.
“They are in public service, they do it for safety, and they help other people.”
Despite previous attempts stopping him, Baluchi remains determined and expresses that he will not give up on his dream, even after facing legal troubles and multiple rescues.
He sees his efforts as a way to inspire others and promote charitable causes.
“I’ll never give up my dream. They stop me four or five times, but I never give up,” he said.
Social media reactions
Many people have reacted to Baluchi’s unusual story with a mix of disbelief and concern.
While some find his ambitions entertaining, others worry about the risks involved.
Just let him go. He is costing the taxpayers a fortune from all these arrests and rescues, one user said.
Looks like he had a good chance of making it. Tybee Island is a long way from Miami.
This seems closer to piracy than rescue or law enforcement operations, the second user commented.
With all of the drug boats and drug subs coming in from South America, this is what the Coast Guard is worried about. The third user wrote.
He was risking no one but himself, and should have been left alone, another wrote.
The poor man’s doomed submersible stunt. Thankfully he didn’t take anyone with him, someone said.