THE U.S. Coast Guard retrieved an endurance runner after he ended his aquatic voyage from South Florida to the Bermuda Triangle in his “hydropod” early Sunday.

    Iranian-born endurance athlete Reza Baluchi, 44, was given a written warning by the Miami Coast Guard not to attempt the five-month trip, which they deemed too dangerous, last week.

    But Baluchi ignored this and launched his homemade hydropod bubble from Pompano Beach, Florida on Saturday.

    A day later the adventurer agreed to be voluntarily rescued by the Coast Guard.

    Baluchi now faces a possible fine of up to US$40,000 or jail time of up to seven years for ignoring their letter of warning.

    This is the second time the 44-year-old had to be rescued by the Coast Guard in his inflatable, the last time being in October 2014 when he had attempted to journey 3,000 miles (4,828 km) from Florida to Bermuda.

    Mark Carney, a public service specialist at Miami Coast Guard, said that it took 12 hours to coax Baluchi out of his bubble this time round.

    He said, “We were on the scene at 2 a.m. Sunday and a rescue boat stayed with him until about 2 p.m. that afternoon.

    “We were trying to plead with him and coax him off the bubble but it took 12 hours before he finally agreed.”

    Carney was also on duty back in 2014 when Baluchi had attempted a similar journey.

    According to his website, Baluchi’s journey planned to cover 3,500 miles (5,632 km) by “running” in his hand-made hydropod bubble to the Bermuda Triangle.

    His five-month journey at sea, began in Pompano Beach, Florida after which he was due to head north to Jacksonville then east, to Georgia, to the Bermuda Triangle, then Puerto Rico, to Haiti then Cuba and back to Key West, then finally returning to North Ocean Park in Pompano Beach. He was to survive on “protein bars, tuna, seawater purified through a filter, Gatorade and chewing gum for sea sickness.”(SD-Agencies)