This is the moment a worker makes an impressive jump to safety after the overloaded barge he was on snapped in half and began sinking.

The incident took place during dredging work near the town of Smederevo, situated on the right bank of the Danube River, in the central Serbian district of Podunavlje on 8th April.

The dredging was taking place near the confluence of the Morava and Danube rivers.

At one point, the barge was unable to bear the weight of the load the dredger was tipping onto it and broke in half.

As seen in the footage, a worker on board the sinking barge had to make an impressive jump to safety.

The unnamed man was sent to hospital for checks after the incident.

The sunken barge and the dredger were both owned by DMB Shipping based in the Serbian town of Ruma, according to the news site Blic.

In the past year, the company and its employees have reportedly been accused of committing various violations, however it remains unclear if the local authorities are investigating the recent incident.

In the footage, the barge is seen breaking in half as materials are tipped into piles on the deck.

Both ends of the barge lift as the middle section disappears below the surface and one worker has to run to the side of the sinking vessel.

Just before the water comes to his feet, he makes an impressive leap to safety and climbs onto the dredger’s deck.