The man didn’t want to give up the trip and threatened to take his own life with a knife. Disclosure/Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
Reza Baluchi, 51 years old, is a stubborn man. Since 2014, he has been trying to cross the Atlantic and travel from Florida to London on a ship that resembles a “hamster wheel.”
His last attempt took place not long ago, American authorities announced this week. As Hurricane Franklin moved toward the eastern United States on August 29, Baluchi was rescued adrift about 80 miles off the coast of Florida.
Despite being isolated at sea since August 26, the man refused to give up on the journey according to the New York Times, this is Baluchi’s fourth attempt to make the more than 4,000mile journey in the improvised vehicle.
He was approached twice by Coast Guard officers between August 26 and 29: in both cases, the man, who said he was born in Iran and had received asylum in the United States, threatened suicide with two knives and detonated a bomb .
As the hurricane approached and there was a risk of spillage, Baluchi surrendered and was taken by authorities to Miami Beach, where he was arrested. The man was released on Tuesday (5) on bail of US$250,000 (approximately R$750,000), according to court documents, which state that he “is not allowed to go to the sea or enter a vehicle, that goes beyond the sea”.
The question remains: Will the stubborn Baloch obey justice and give up trying to cross the Atlantic again in the rat race?
Check out 7 spectacular escape attempts around the world that went wrong
Brazilian Danilo Sousa Cavalcante, sentenced to life in prison in the United States for the killing of his exgirlfriend Débora Brandão, escaped from a prison in Pennsylvania last week. He is still at large and the local police are almost fully mobilized to recapture the criminal.
Master Key (1995) In a surprise escape in the UK, three inmates freed themselves by memorizing the pattern of a key. Andrew Rodger, Keith Rose and Matthew Williams, who worked in the metal workshop at Isle of Wight Prison, recreated a guard’s master key that allowed them to open any door. Equipped with a 7.5 meter steel ladder and an improvised weapon, they were recaptured four days later as they planned to steal a plane
Three Escapes, Three Helicopters (2001) French criminal Pascal Payet, known for his unusual escape methods, escaped from prison in October 2001 in a helicopter hijacked by his accomplices. In 2003, he repeated the strategy of releasing three more prisoners. After being convicted of murdering a security guard in 2005, he fled again by helicopter in 2007 but was recaptured in Spain
Chapo’s Tunnel (2001) — Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, has already escaped from prison twice. In 2001, he escaped using a laundry cart after bribing guards. In 2015, he surprised himself by escaping through a lighted and ventilated tunnel under his cell’s shower. Recaptured in 2016, remains imprisoned
Flexible Escape (2012) — After his arrest on robbery charges, South Korean yoga practitioner Choi Gap Bok escaped from his cell in September 2012 by slipping through an opening used in cells to deliver food to inmates less than 6 inches tall. It was found six days later
Heels and Lipstick (2012) — Brazilian drug lord Ronaldo Silva has escaped from prison wearing his wife’s clothes, at least for a few minutes, after an intimate visit. Wearing makeup and high heels, he got past the guards but was stopped by a police officer after he had difficulty walking.
Saw Burger (2015) — David Sweat and Richard Matt, imprisoned in New York (USA), carefully planned their escape. Using tools hidden in frozen hamburgers, they sawed through the cell bars and escaped. After escaping, the two didn’t have much luck: Matt was killed and Sweat was recaptured.
Buttery (2017) — In an audacious plan, 12 inmates at the Walker County Jail in Texas, USA, used peanut butter to mix up door hangers and deceive a guard. They managed to escape, but 11 of them were caught within 12 hours of the escape. The last fugitive was caught again a few days later in Florida