There are plenty of times when the oft-used phrase "only in Dubai" feels a little hackneyed, but it certainly seemed appropriate on Sunday morning when residents woke up to see giant sculptures of a gorilla and a tiger flying through Dubai Marina.
Chloe Hilton, a resident in the area, filmed the large silver ape statue being flown by helicopter from a balcony in Silverene Tower A on Sunday, at about 7.30am.
The footage shows the gorilla on what looks like an adventure flight, with Marina Mall and Pier 7 in the background and plenty of yachts moored in the marina below.
In the video, Hilton says: "Pretty sure that is a gorilla". She can then be heard laughing to herself about the unexpected sighting and asking: "What is going on?".
It appears as though the sculpture is being flown towards the Address Dubai Marina hotel, however it is not clear whether it will be part of a private collection or a public installation.
A second Dubai Marina resident, Ross Byrne, spotted a similar statue, in the shape of a big cat, flying across the Marina on the same morning – probably part of the same art collection. He filmed the flight of what looks like a tiger, from Park Island in Dubai Marina.
The tiger was also spotted by Daniel Harkin, who wrote on Facebook: "Standard morning viewing in Dubai. Someone getting a solid metal giant tiger ornament delivered by helicopter."
The National has contacted the Address Dubai Marina for comment.
