A creepy double waterspout tornado formed near the path of a ship travelling from New Zealand to Thailand.

Footage shows the two massive weather phenomenon extending from the dark storm clouds above to the sea below as it was seen by tourists onboard a vessel on October 30.

The columns became more intense, bringing gusty winds and heavy rain.

Onlooker Kasem Kongtham, who was on the ship, said they were passing through the coast of Indonesia when the tornadoes were seen.

He said: ‘It was terrifying and beautiful at the same time. I haven's seen one in a long time and that one was very close to our boat.'

Two types of tornado form at sea - tornadic waterspouts and fair-weather waterspouts. Tornadic waterspouts form from thunderstorms, just like land tornadoes, while fair-weather waterspouts are typically smaller and less powerful without the need for storms.

Both types of waterspout tornadoes are created when there is a strong difference in air pressure between the surface of the water and the air above it. This difference in pressure creates an updraft, which draws air from the surface of the water into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, forming a cloud. The cloud can then rotate, forming a waterspout.

It is rare for waterspouts to cause severe damage. However, in August 2023 two tourists were killed and six injured when a waterspout tornado hit their boat on an estuary river in Phetchaburi, southern Thailand.