The huge installation, on a vessel near the promenade, had drawn large crowds as part of the Mid-Autumn festival – until the weather intervened.
Online video footage showed the moon splashing down into the sea and then shooting off into uncharted waters. Gusts of wind propelled its journey, until it gradually lost steam and deflated.
The organisers of the exhibition said the moon ended up in the water as it was being dismantled. But it had been recaptured by midday, they added.
The moon’s demise was reminiscent of an incident in 2013 when a 16-metre high rubber duck met a sorry end as it collapsed in on itself in Victoria Harbour.