Is That Real? Onlookers Left Stunned After Spotting 'Floating Ship' Across The Sky in Crazy Optical Illusion

Optical illusions always make you look at things twice. Similarly, a recent mind-boggling optical illusion has left onlookers baffled after they witnessed what appears to be a large boat floating across the sky.

The 'flying' boat picture was captured by photographer Martin Stroud after he spotted the phenomenon near the small village of Coverack in Cornwall, England.

Martin Stroud/SWNS

The baffling image shows a large cargo ship appearing to be soaring high above the horizon.

As per The Independent, Stroud posted on the Coverack Life Facebook group and said, ¡°Almost looks like it¡¯s flying! Beautiful day for a visit to Coverack.¡±

Due to the similar colouring of the sea and sky, the large vessel appears to be sitting amongst the clouds. What makes it more intriguing is the fact that the keel of the ship is out of view which makes it difficult to make a distinction as to where the water ends and the clear blue skies begin.

Martin Stroud/SWNS

This isn't the first time something like this has been witnessed in Cornwall. Last year, a man was left stunned after he captured an astounding optical illusion showing a large boat appearing to float across the sky.

As per the report in Mirror, Colin McCallum spotted the red "floating vessel" on the horizon as he travelled through Banff, Aberdeenshire, in Scotland.

The phenomenon has also given birth to many theories. According to historian and author Tim Maltin, the bizarre phenomenon of ships appearing to 'float' above water may help unlock some of the mysteries surrounding the Titanic, which sank in 1912.

Maltin believes the 100ft iceberg that sunk the historic ship may have been missed by lookouts on board because of a similar mirage event.

The event is caused when cold air near the sea's surface sits under a blanket of warmer air. It creates abnormal refraction in which light bends downwards in an effect known as thermal inversion.

According to The Sun, Maltin said that in the case of the Titanic, the phenomenon may have meant that the iceberg wasn't spotted against the white haze along the horizon known as a 'mirage strip' until it was too late.

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