Is this mysterious footage proof mermaids exist? Tourist sees 'creature' being pulled from water

A mysterious video claims to show the moment a mermaid was pulled from the water, prompting claims the mythical creatures do exist.

The clip shows a green tail floating in a water, and a figure being put onto a stretcher.

It was purportedly taken by an Australian tourist on a beach in Minnesota, but the precise location is unknown.

Paranormal enthusiasts have urged viewers to keep an open mind and ask why someone would go to the trouble of staging an elaborate hoax.

According to Paranormal Elite, a YouTube channel which was sent the footage, the person who filmed it stayed behind after the beach was cleared.

The man, idenitified only as Macky, said large vehicles arrived along with people wearing yellow hazmat suits to protect them from dangerous materials.

A Paranormal Elite spokesman said: "The creature seen bears striking resemblance to the mermaids depicted in fictional stories.

Macky believes the footage does show proof of mermaids. He says that in Australia, too, he has heard stories of of humanoid creatures with fish-like tails. He was surprised to see something like this being pulled out of a freshwater lake.

"It remains a mystery whether or not mermaids do inhabit lakes in Minnesota. After all, what happens when the lakes freeze in the winter?"

And the enthusiast continued: "I urge everyone to keep an open mind and come to a conclusion yourself. If this is in fact a fake, the question arises as to why anyone would go to such lengths to hoax a video like this."