Florida man rescued from giant floating hamster ball — again

Florida authorities accidental they’ve rescued a man who washed up successful a hamster wheel-style watercraft connected Saturday aft a failed effort to “run” up the Atlantic Coast for charity.

And it’s not the archetypal clip it’s happened.

The antithetic “hydro bubble” trade belongs to Reza Baluchi, a 44-year-old Florida antheral and jock who built it truthful helium could tally crossed the aboveground of the water.

The trade is simply a elephantine metallic drum akin to a hamster shot oregon wheel, with inflatable components connected each broadside and paddles that are powered by a runner inside.

Baluchi acceptable retired from Miami past week en way to New York City, but helium deed immoderate “complications” soon aft motorboat and yet came ashore adjacent St. Augustine, Fla., according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials accidental helium was uninjured, but they referred the lawsuit to the U.S. Coast Guard to guarantee that the antheral and his bubble were complying with each information regulations.

No charges were instantly announced successful the case.

Baluchi vowed to deed the h2o again successful his bizarre contraption, contempt respective failed attempts to permission the Florida country with it.

“I volition amusement radical thing you privation to do, bash it,” helium told Fox 35. “Don’t perceive to anyone. Chase your dreams.”

Baluchi has been chasing his imagination of treading connected h2o for astir a decade, though he’s deed a fewer bumps waves on the way.

Trending Stories

His archetypal h2o tally ended disconnected the seashore of St. Augustine successful 2014, wherever helium was rescued aft a failed effort to tally to Bermuda. The Coast Guard yet fined him $144,000 for the rescue, citing its earlier proposal that helium not marque the journey.

Baluchi acceptable retired again for Bermuda successful 2016 and got arsenic acold arsenic Jupiter, Fla., earlier helium again had to beryllium rescued. The Coast Guard warned him astatine the clip that helium could look a $40,000 good oregon up to 7 years successful situation for violating their bid not to depart.

The long-distance runner says his latest effort was meant to rise wealth for assorted charitable causes, including “homeless people,” the U.S. Coast Guard and constabulary and occurrence departments. However, helium did not bespeak the circumstantial charities successful an interrogation with Fox 35.

“They are successful nationalist service. They bash it for information and they assistance different people,” helium said.

Baluchi’s friend, Gina Laspina, says helium is well-equipped to marque his ocean-crossing journey. He besides has a GPS instrumentality connected his trade truthful that friends, household and supporters tin travel his advancement astatine each times.

“He’s a survivalist, helium tin past anyplace for days and weeks,” she said. “He’s got food, he’s got water, he’s got everything helium needs to support him safe.”

GPS information connected his site shows that helium started adjacent Vilano Beach and yet came ashore 35 kilometres to the south. That’s besides 35 kilometres farther from New York City than erstwhile helium started.

Nevertheless, Baluchi insists helium volition support trying to tally crossed the water successful his floating hamster wheel.

“I’ll ne'er springiness up my dream,” helium told Fox 35. “They halt maine 4 oregon 5 times, but I ne'er springiness up.”