Man banned from entering sea following arrest for trying to cross ocean in human-powered hamster wheel

A Florida man has been banned from entering the sea following his arrest to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a human-sized hamster ball.

Reza Ray Baluchi - an Iranian athlete and activist living in the US - was arrested on 1 September after being spotted by the US Coast Guard 70 nautical miles off Tybee Island, Georgia.

Baluchi was seen in a human-sized and powered hamster wheel, apparently on his way to London.

In fact, it is said to have not been the first time the activist has been intercepted on his journey across the seas, with Baluchi having attempted to run across the Atlantic in his 'bubble' multiple times before.

In his latest attempt, Baluchi and police are reported as having been in a three-day standoff prior to his return to shore and arrest on 1 September.

Officers were determined Baluchi did not have registration to run the human-sized hamster ball and that his rather ambitious voyage was 'manifestly unsafe'.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office

According to documents, Coast Guards told Baluchi he needed to leave his boat, something the Florida man refused.

["He] replied that he was armed with a 12-inch knife and would attempt to commit suicide should the USCG officers attempt to remove him," the affidavit stated.

The document also stated that Baluchi threatened to detonate a bomb if he was removed.

According to a complaint filed on Friday (1 September) in the US District Court for Southern Florida, Baluchi was charged with obstruction of boarding and violation of a captain of the port order.

Court documents state that his appearance bond was set at $250,000 (£200,000), though he has a certain set of conditions to follow as part of it.

Unfortunately, he may not 'go to the ocean or board a vessel on the ocean', as per court documents.

CBS

While he may be banned from the ocean under current conditions, it doesn't mean that Baluchi will not be allowed to go into the sea in the future.

It comes after Baluchi's last voyage in 2021 was a similar disaster, too.

He had attempted to reach New York in his human-powered ball that year.

Setting off from St Augustine, Florida, Baluchi hoped to embark on a three-to-four-week journey up to the US city.

Unfortunately, the trip was cut short when Baluchi realised his GPS and charging cables were missing from his homemade ball - named a 'hydro pod' - and so he abandoned his expedition and climbed ashore in Flagler County, Florida.