Florida man arrested whilst attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a boat equipped with a hamster

A Florida man named Reza Baluchi has been arrested for attempting to travel from Florida to London by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a homemade craft that resembles a hamster wheel. The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the Baluchi about 70 miles off the coast of Georgia on August 26. This is not the 1st time he has undertaken such a voyage, as his prior attempts also ended with the intervention of the Coast Guard.

The vessel employed by the Baluchi is shaped like a wheel with paddles propelling it forward as the wheel turns. On the other hand, the US Coast Guard deemed his voyage clearly unsafe due to the situation of the vessel, which was kept afloat by wires and buoys. Baluchi refused to leave the ship for 3 days and even threatened to kill himself. He also claimed that there was a bomb on board, which was later located to be a fake.

Following becoming brought to a Coast Guard base in Miami, Baluchi lastly surrendered and abandoned his ship on September 1. He now faces federal charges of obstructing boarding and violating a harbor master’s order. It is not recognized irrespective of whether Baluchi has obtained legal representation for his criminal case.

This is not the 1st time that Baluchi has faced legal difficulty more than his ocean ventures. In 2014, he had to be rescued from a equivalent device close to St. Augustine, Florida, and two years later he was rescued once more on the coast of Jupiter, close to Palm Beach. Baluchi claims he requires these trips to raise cash for a assortment of causes, such as the homeless, the Coast Guard, the police and the fire division.

Even though Bellucci’s intentions could be noble, his approaches and vessels have verified to be precarious and problematic. His repeated attempts and interactions with law enforcement highlight the will need for suitable arranging, security precautions and compliance when engaging in unconventional endeavors such as ocean crossings in household-constructed devices.