(youtube) A huge military hovercraft has made an unexpected landing on a packed beach in Russia. Hundreds of people were sunbathing on the beach when the vessel powered towards them. No one was injured, although witnesses said beachgoers were surrounded by paratroopers and asked to move on. A spokesman for the Russian defence ministry told local newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda that the hovercraft was on a tactical mission in an area owned by the military. "Docking at the beach ... is a normal event," a spokesman was quoted as saying. "What people were doing at the beach on the territory of a military (base) is unclear." However, the newspaper said the base the ministry was referring to was in Khmelevka, several kilometres away.
The hovercraft is believed to have been one of the Russian Navy's Zubr-type crafts, which are built in St Petersburg and can travel at speeds of up to 60 knots (110kmh, 68mph). They weigh around 550 tonnes and measure nearly 60 metres in length. The vessels carry up to 500 troops and can be fitted with missile launchers, automatic gun mounts and equipment to lay mines.
14 Comments
chingaleraPutting-in for some R&R??
Mate: Captain, bitches at twelve-oclock, sir.
Captain: Da, sound horn, put in near cabana, watch for cheeldren and don't damage beetches..
radxThat's Kaliningrad, isn't it?
Maybe they thought Königsberg was still controlled by those pesky Germans.
ConfuciusUhm...no dash-cam vid?
articianThat thing is massive.
chingalera"...with deck larch enough to hoold entire crew and over feef-ty beetches!"
That thing is massive.
newtboyIn Russia, hovercraft rides on you.
chingalera'the Russian military said: 'Docking at the beach is a normal event. What people were doing at the beach on the territory of a military base is unclear.'
Uhhh, they wanted to party like rock stars??
dingens*russia
siftbotAdding video to channels (Russia) - requested by dingens.
shuacWas it full of eels?
rebuilderNo insurance on government property! Certainly no insurance on Navy vessels...
Uhm...no dash-cam vid?
chingaleraI dunno man, 140 mm Ogon launchers 2 x 22 with 132 rockets or a 30 mm AK-630 Air Defense Gun Mount 2 x 6 with 6000 rounds makes for a pretty robust Navy vessel insurance policy, besides that...... seamen are safer on beetches
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No insurance on government property! Certainly no insurance on Navy vessels...
poolcleanerMcFly, you bozo, hovercrafts don't work on water -- unless you have powah!
rebuilderI offer no argument. I was just riffing on the Russians having dashcams because of insurance terms, and government institutions not bothering to insure their property because it's cheaper to pay for any losses out of pocket if it won't bankrupt them.
I dunno man, 140 mm Ogon launchers 2 x 22 with 132 rockets or a 30 mm AK-630 Air Defense Gun Mount 2 x 6 with 6000 rounds makes for a pretty robust Navy vessel insurance policy, besides that...... seamen are safer on beetches !
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