A submarine rose from the earth in the center of Milan yesterday at 8 a.m., surprising residents, as it appeared from the ground in via Mercanti, just a few meters away from the Duomo, the city’s cathedral.

The captain of the submarine #LF13 was lost during the maneuvers, and in the initial TV interviews, he apologized profusely for the damage he caused. During the process, he also crashed a car. Passers-by can’t believe what they’re seeing…

Police and firefighters arrived to assist in securing the area.

All of this is hard to believe, but it’s just a publicity stunt created by Milan-based agency M&C Saatchi for the insurance company Europe Assistance as part of their LifePark Protection store launch campaign.

We don’t know how long the submarine will be in town, but it’s certainly entertaining to watch such a scenario in the center of a European metropolis.

If you are planning a trip to Milan in the near future, remember to stop by via Mercanti and take a peek at the submarine.