A 95-ton digger has been caught on camera becoming submerged by the rising tide on a Welsh beach.
Dafydd Phillips, from Aberaeron, captured the footage showing the hefty industrial bit of kit – which can be worth up to £500,000 – becoming engulfed by the sea near the town’s north pier.
The footage shows waves lapping over the machinery as it sinks deeper and deeper into the seawater.
At one point, the water reaches so high it completely surrounds the operator’s cab, leaving just the top of the mechanical arm visible above the waves.
The heavy Caterpillar machine was being used on the Aberaeron sea defence project which aims to prevent floods.
The digger encountered a mechanical issue whilst positioning rocks off the beach which led to the unexpected submersion.
Mr Phillips, 53, said: ‘I felt for the driver as no doubt he will get slated but these things happen and being a mechanical issue it’s not his wrong doing. I always keep my camera at hand.’
The digger was being used to help build Aberaeron’s £32million inner harbour flood defences, which started in November 2023.
The scheme includes the construction of a rock breakwater, the refurbishment and re-building of pier head, construction of flood walls and improvements to the existing defences on the South Beach.
The video of the digger’s submersion has been posted online and a number of social media users have rushed to make jokes about the rather unfortunate situation.
One said: ‘Expensive mistake and something else to watch out for when going out in your boat :)’
Another joked: ‘Can’t park that there mate!’, while a third said: Don’t they know that the tide goes up and down.’
A fourth user wrote: ‘Attach a light bulb to the top of it and it could become a janky lighthouse.’