Baluchi informed the Coast Guard crew that he intended to ride the wheel, which he referred to as a "hydropod", all the way from France to England.

A Florida man was arrested for federal charges following his use of a manmade hamsterwheel in an attempt cross the Atlantic Ocean.

A criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Coast Guard in Miami states that it took five days for them to bring Reza Baliuchi, 51 to shore.

According to the filing, on August 26th, the Coast Guard located Baluchi at 70 miles from the coast of Tybee Island in George, where he had been preparing for hurricane Franklin.

Baluchi claimed to the Coast Guard crew that he wanted to ride a man-made wheel - which he called "hydro-pods" - all the way from Florida to England. He also claimed to have Florida registration onboard, but he couldn't locate it.

According to the complaint, Coast Guard officers who claim that the "hydropod" vessel remained afloat due to "wiring and buoys," decided that Baluchi conducted "a manifestly dangerous voyage."

The 51-year old Florida resident Baluchi allegedly threatened to harm himself several times, first by using a knife and then by blowing his own lungs.

The U.S. Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was contacted by the officers when they saw Baluchi holding the wires. They wanted to determine the blast radius for the alleged bomb that he allegedly threatened to blow himself up.

The Coast Guard cutters Campbell, and Valiant, arrived on the scene Aug. 28 to provide support to the crew, and to Baluchi. They sent a small boat with food and water, and also gave him forecasts for the approaching hurricane.

According to the report, Baluchi was again ordered off the hamsterwheel, but he refused. He admitted that the bomb he had been threatening to blow up himself with was fake.

Baluchi, who was removed from the vessel on August 29, was taken to the Coast Guard Base in Miami Beach and arrested for obstruction of boarding. He was also charged with violating a captain's port order.

Baluchi is not the first to attempt this stunt. According to the complaint, in 2014 he attempted to sail across Atlantic in a homemade vessel similar to this one. A year later, the Coast Guard issued him a captain's port order forbidding any further voyages.

Baluchi did not comply with the order and was interdicted officially in 2016 in a homemade boat. The Coast Guard also intervened in his most recent attempt, which was made in 2021.

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Title: Florida Man Riding Human-Sized Hamster Wheel Arrested on Federal Charges
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/09/08/florida-man-riding-human-sized-hamster-wheel-arrested-on-federal-charges/
Published Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:59:47 +0000

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