By Tim Binnall
A bizarre piece of footage circulating online purportedly shows a still-living mermaid that is said to have washed ashore onto a beach. The very weird video initially appeared on social media last week and quickly spread like wildfire with claims that the curious incident occurred in either South Africa or Kenya, depending on who happened to be sharing the jaw-dropping footage. This confusion regarding the circumstances surrounding the strange case is compounded by the fact that there appears to be no indication of when the incident happened nor who filmed it in the first place. Be that as it may, the video is undeniably compelling by virtue of the surreal scene unfolding on the beach.
In the footage, what appears to be a creature sporting a body that is a half human child and half fish can be seen laying on a beach as a group of stunned onlookers surround the oddity. While the bewildered witnesses examine the suspected mermaid, its arms and fins can be seen moving as if it is still alive and in distress. Sadly, the video simply ends with no resolution to the scene nor any attempt to save the aquatic creature by placing it back into the water.
Given the remarkably realistic nature of the video, the alleged mermaid encounter has understandably garnered considerable attention in the African countries that were put forward as its point of origin. This led to authorities in both Kenya and South Africa dismissing the footage as fake and assuring residents that the mythical creature had not washed ashore on their respective beaches. Of course, this has not stopped the video from amassing millions of views on social media with many still believing that it is genuine.
As for how the mermaid may have been 'created,' some have suggested that it could be the result of a fish attacking and trying to eat a child, though that explanation seems suspect since the witnesses on scene do not appear to be very worried about the welfare of the youngster. Other observers have argued that the 'creature' is a well-crafted hoax in the form of a movie prop or merely via computer-generated special effects. With that in mind, what's your take on the eyebrow-raising video? Share your thoughts with us at the Coast to Coast AM Facebook page.