Ray “Reza” Baluchi, known for his attempts to traverse the Atlantic Ocean in homemade enclosures, is facing federal charges after a three-day standoff with the Coast Guard. Baluchi was stopped by the Coast Guard on August 26 in his hydropod, described as a “Hamster Wheel of Doom,” about 70 nautical miles east of Tybee Island, Georgia. Prosecutors claim that Baluchi held up a knife and threatened to blow himself up if officers interfered with his voyage.
… Baluchi has a history of attempting to make treks across the sea in homemade vessels and has been stopped by the Coast Guard multiple times. His previous attempts have been deemed unsafe by Coast Guard officers, but Baluchi has advocated for the Coast Guard to let him continue.
Photo: U.S. COAST GUARD