Man arrested for trying to cross Atlantic in human-powered hamster wheel

A Florida man has been arrested after authorities intercepted his mission to cross the Atlantic in a human-powered hamster wheel.

Reza Baluchi was discovered 70 nautical miles off Tybee Island, Georgia, on August 26 and later revealed where he was attempting to head to.

While that is pretty impressive, he had a fair way to go.

He was walking his way to the UK and allegedly didn't take kindly to being stopped by authorities.

According to an affidavit filed against the man, the US Coast Guard was transiting in the Atlantic Ocean preparing for Hurricane Franklin when they spotted a homemade Hydro Pod vessel.

"The Vessel was occupied with one male passenger, later identified as Baluchi," the criminal complaint reads.

"Upon arriving at the Vessel, USCG officers asked standard boarding questions, to include requesting the registration of the Vessel.

"Baluchi informed the USCG officers that he had a Florida registration on board his Vessel, but he was unable to locate it.

"He also advised USCG officers his intended destination was London, England.

"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."

They tried to terminate his journey and told him to hop onboard their boat where they could take him to safety.

However, the defendant is accused of threatening to kill himself with a 12-inch blade if they came near him.

Things really escalated when he said he would detonate a bomb and authorities believed the threat because they reportedly could see wires in his hands.

A two-day standoff ensued and another US Coast Guard vessel arrived on the scene to help deliver food supplies and information about the impending hurricane.

Baluchi eventually revealed that the bomb wasn't real and boarded the Coast Guard ship the next day.

The affidavit claims Baluchi has tried in 2014, 2016 and 2021 to cross the Atlantic in a similar vessel.

Each time he has been intercepted by the Coast Guard and brought back to shore.

He now faces charges of obstruction of a boarding, and violation of a Captain of the Port order for this latest attempt.

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Flagler County Sheriff’s Office

Topics: US News

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Senior Journalist at LADbible. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign. He is in charge of the LADbible Australia editorial content and social presence.

@stewartperrie