Mt Maunganui beachgoers could be forgiven for thinking a UFO or a flying ship was hovering above the waters last week when an optical illusions left locals stunned.
Bay of Plenty resident Monika Schaffner was travelling through Mt Maunganui on April 21 when she looked out the over the ocean and saw what looked like a large object hovering in the sea.
What she thought was a flying ship was actually a mirage on the horizon.
"I filmed this optical phenomenon that made a ship look like it was floating in the air.
"It was like seeing something unreal. I thought my eyes are playing a trick on me," she told the Herald.