A possible ghost filmed aboard a ship, a potential solution to the LAX 'jetpack man' mystery, and what may be the world's largest potato were among the strange and unusual stories to cross our desk this week.
An intriguing mystery that has unfolded over the last year centers around sightings of what appeared to be a jetpack-clad person flying near Los Angeles International Airport. However, this past week, the LAPD released helicopter footage which shed new light on the case and seems to indicate that the 'unidentified flying person' may have been a human-shaped balloon, specifically a decorative piece depicting the character of Jack Skellington from the hit film Nightmare Before Christmas. While some might find the prosaic explanation to be a bit of a disappointment, it's likely something of a relief to authorities since the prospect of a person wearing a jetpack and flying near airports would be a serious security concern.
This past week provided one of the best and most unique ghost videos we've seen in quite some time by way of a peculiar piece of footage purportedly captured by a ship's security camera. The vessel was said to have been traveling off the coast of Somalia and, as a preventative measure to avoid being noticed by pirates, all of the lights were turned off and the crew was ordered to their quarters. During that moment wherein there was seemingly no human activity aboard the ship, the security system filmed what can only be described as a full-bodied apparition that suddenly materialized for a few seconds before vanishing into thin air.
By far the weirdest story of the week came by way of New Zealand where a couple cleaning out their garden wound up unearthing a jaw-dropping potato that weighs a whopping 17 pounds. The enormous spud, which they have dubbed 'Doug,' is believed to have been growing unnoticed in their yard over the past two years. Since the current record holder is a 'mere' 11 pounds, the tremendous tuber will likely soon be crowned the world's largest potato by Guinness once they can officially confirm its astounding weight. Should the spud claim the title, the couple plans to have a celebration and possibly turn Doug into a tourist attraction.
For more strange and unusual stories from the past week, check out the Coast to Coast AM website.