Hundreds of beach-goers at an undisclosed location were shocked when their sunbathing was interrupted by a gigantic Russian navy hovercraft sliding from the sea onto the sand.
Amateur video captured the scene, which showed the massive craft slipping onto the beach, amid a crowd of bathing-suit-wearing beach-goers, The Telegraph reported.
Russian authorities said the hovercraft was taking part in a military exercise — and that the beach landing was all part and parcel of the training.
“Docking at the beach … is a normal event,” one Russian defense minister said to a local newspaper, as The Telegraph reported.
Still, those on the beach thought it odd. The video showed dozens snapping pictures and filming the scene as it unfolded.
The Russian navy Zubr type can hit up to 68 mph, some say. It’s equipped with missile launchers, automatic gun mounts and devices to lay mines.
The report didn’t specify the beach the hovercraft landed on but said the craft was part of a tactics operation in a military-owned area.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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