Is this fictional event of a ship becoming airborne because of a storm based on a real event? In the book _Nation)_ , by Terry Pratchett, a sailing ship becomes airborne from the force of a storm, and is pushed inland quite a distance, before becoming lodged in trees. Is this possible? If so, are there records of it happening to other sailing ships, that Terry Pratchett could have possibly used as inspiration?

There are many instances of boats, some of them quite large, being carried inland by a tsunami. For example...

![Boat on building](

...which is from the Japanese tsunami of 2011.

It is quite likely that Terry Pratchett took events of this nature as inspiration for the book. Although, wind alone isn't going to lift a boat any distance, the story doesn't have to be scientifically accurate.