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A video of an excavator floating across a river has left many Malaysians scratching their heads
TikTok user @shafiq_roshdi recently posted a clip of an excavator cruising through a river in Rembau as if it were a boat.
In the short video, the heavy machine doesn't sink. Instead, it glides forward while the operator uses the shovel arm to push and steer it along the water.
People in the comments were amazed, with some admitting that they only just discovered that excavators can go into water.
One commenter explained that this is called an amphibious excavator, which is designed to float and is usually used for river-cleaning work.
Unlike normal excavators, which will definitely sink if you drive it into a river, an amphibious excavator is designed with pontoons instead of regular crawler tracks
These pontoons are airtight, helping the machine float while still keeping it stable. That's why in the construction world, you'll often hear them called "swamp buggies".
Thanks to its unique design, the excavator doesn't sink and can actually move through rivers, lakes, and even swampy areas where ordinary machines would get stuck.
The shovel arm then doubles up as a tool for steering or pushing the excavator forward in water.
How come it doesn't get spoiled in water?
The secret lies in waterproofing. Amphibious excavators are built to handle wet environments, with sealed hydraulic systems and engines placed high up to avoid water damage.
The pontoons are reinforced to prevent leaks, and the moving parts that come into contact with water are protected against rust.
Of course, this doesn't mean the operator can drive it out to sea or start doing water sports with it. It's still a specialised work machine.
Most of the time, you'll see these excavators being used for clearing rivers, desilting ponds, building bunds, or helping with flood control work.
To the untrained eye, it might look like some kind of DIY amphibious tank. But amphibious excavators are quite common in industries that deal with water-heavy terrains.
And yes, it's supposed to float. So no, the abang in the video isn't risking his machine's life.
