The NET is abuzz.. why are ships floating in the sky above water in EUROPE? Fata Morgana ... That's why.' Earlier this week in Paignton, Devon, a picturesque coastal snap depicted several liners which looked like they were hovering above the sea due to the phenomenon. And on Friday in Banff, Aberdeenshire, health and safety worker Colin McCallum spotted another ship which looked to be flying and stopped to get a video of the unusual sight before investigating what caused the illusion. The phenomenon, known as Fata Morgana, creates a mirage when the sun heats up the atmosphere above the land or the sea, which creates a gradient of temperatures.. Fata Morgana mirages significantly distort the object or objects on which they are based, often such that the object is completely unrecognizable. A Fata Morgana may be seen on land or at sea, in polar regions, or in deserts. It may involve almost any kind of distant object, including boats, islands, and the coastline.. They also made f...