One of the most unusual planes in the world is bigger than Boeing 747 and abandoned on a beach

Strange things that get lost in the sea are usually bound to wind up being washed up on the shore eventually.

Unusual creatures or ancient objects are sometimes found on a beach that leaves many people bewildered, but there’s rarely anything as bizarre as what wound up on the coast of Derbent, a city in southern Russia.

There lies one of the most unusual planes in the world - a 283 tonne, 63 ft aircraft nicknamed the Caspian sea monster, that is way bigger than a Boeing 747.

The plane was used towards the end of the Cold War (Vladimir Zapletin/Getty)

The airplane looks like something out of Star Wars and was designed back in 1975 before being used by Soviet and Russian navies towards the end of the Cold War.

It was equipped with six fixed-elevation anti-ship missile launchers and two twin turrets but the once heavily armed plane has now been converted into a museum.

Despite being a plane, the vessel is actually categorized as a ship as it incredibly floated above water thanks to its eight jet engines.

According to the International Maritime Organization, the MD-160 is in fact a maritime ship - a large vessel that travels the world's oceans.

The vessel is technically categorized as a maritime ship (Vladimir Zapletin/Getty)

It flew using a cushion of air beneath its wings generated by the ground effect acting on its large wings when within about 13 feet above the surface of the water.

This essentially made it near impossible to detect on radars - or at least extremely tricky.

Speaking of the programme and referring to the ship as 'Utka' which means duck in Russian, CIA officials said: "The Utka class WIG is a tactical strike and coastal defense vehicle for the Soviet Navy. It carries six supersonic SS-N-22 anti-ship cruise missiles.

"The Utka, can engage enemy ships out to its radar horizon (about 35 kilometers/22 miles) but can fire the SS-N-22 out to the missile's 100-kilometer (62-mile) range with over-the-horizon targeting data.

The plane is beached on the coast of the Caspian Sea (Westend61/Getty)

"The Utka is larger than a US Boeing 747 jet airplane and flies at about 250 knots [287 mph]. One Utka has been built."

They added: "We believe that an Utka strike force or coastal defence force would give the Soviets a quick-reaction capability against surface combatants.

"However, unless the Utka can pop up out of ground effect to extend its radar horizon, it will require external sources of targeting information."

The plane has a rich history and was retired in the late 90s just years after the conclusion of the Cold War.

Now, it will remain beached by the landlocked Caspian Sea.