A huge engine weighing approximately seven tonnes has been removed from the seabed in the bathing area of Es Pouet beach in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza.

The large piece of machinery was discovered underwater in August during routine surveillance and maintenance work along the municipality's coastline. It was lying close to the line of buoys marking the designated bathing area.

Because of its exceptional size and weight, removing it required a special operation involving Ports IB, specialist diving company Eivisub and Sant Antoni's municipal lifeguard and rescue service.

A heavy-lifting crane was ultimately used to bring the engine out of the water. Once it had been lifted ashore, its approximate weight was confirmed at around 7,000 kilograms.

The enormous engine was found underwater in August

The discovery was made during routine inspection and maintenance work carried out along the coast of Sant Antoni.

The engine was resting on the seabed at Es Pouet, close to the buoy line that separates the swimming area from the rest of the sea.

Its location meant the object was not simply an abandoned item in a remote part of the coastline. It was positioned directly alongside an area used by swimmers during the summer season.

The municipality subsequently organised a dedicated operation to remove it safely.

The motor weighed around 7,000 kilograms

The extraordinary size of the object became clearer once the recovery operation was completed.

The engine weighed approximately 7,000 kilograms, equivalent to around seven metric tonnes.

Its size and weight meant that normal underwater-cleaning equipment was not sufficient to remove it.

A heavy-duty crane was therefore required to lift the machinery from the seabed and bring it out of the water.

The municipality has not provided details explaining how the engine originally ended up underwater or how long it had been there.

That means it would be speculative to say whether it came from a vessel, construction equipment or another source.

A specialist operation was required

The recovery involved several organisations working together.

Ports IB participated in the operation, while Eivisub provided specialist assistance and the municipal Salvamento y Socorrismo service was also involved.

The teams needed to secure the enormous piece of machinery underwater before the crane could lift it.

The operation was organised with safety as a priority because of the engine's position and weight, particularly given its proximity to the public bathing area.

Es Pouet is a busy bathing area

Es Pouet is located on the bay of Sant Antoni and is part of the municipality's established summer bathing area.

The beach and surrounding coastline attract residents and tourists throughout the season.

The engine's position next to the bathing-zone markers therefore made its removal particularly relevant from a public-safety perspective.

The municipality described the operation as contributing to the safety and environmental condition of the bathing area.

The object was discovered during routine coastal inspections

The engine was not reportedly found because of an accident or emergency involving swimmers.

Instead, it was discovered during the normal monitoring and maintenance activities carried out by the municipality along the coastline.

That routine surveillance allowed the authorities to identify the obstruction and organise its removal.

The incident demonstrates why underwater inspections of busy bathing areas form part of coastal maintenance, particularly during the summer season when the number of people using the sea increases significantly.

The removal forms part of Sant Antoni's environmental management work

Sant Antoni Town Council has linked the operation to its broader programme of cleaning, maintenance and conservation of bathing areas.

The municipality says these activities are intended to keep its beaches safe and maintain their environmental condition for residents and visitors.

The underwater operation was also carried out within the framework associated with the environmental certifications held by Sant Antoni's beaches.

The municipality specifically cited ISO 14001 and EMAS.

What are ISO 14001 and EMAS?

ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems.

EMAS, the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, is a European environmental management and auditing framework.

Sant Antoni says the environmental work associated with its beaches includes procedures for monitoring, controlling and continually improving environmental management under these systems.

The municipality has therefore presented the removal not as an isolated clean-up, but as part of its regular coastal-management programme.

The engine was close to the bathing boundary

One of the most important details in the story is the location of the machinery.

It was found immediately next to the line of buoys that marks the bathing area.

That meant the object was close to an area in which swimmers were expected to be present during the summer.

Although the available reports do not describe any accident or injury caused by the engine, its position made removing it a sensible safety measure.

The municipality says the intervention helped improve both safety and the environmental condition of the seabed.

No injuries have been reported

There is no indication in the reports reviewed that anyone was injured in connection with the engine.

The item was identified during routine inspection, and the subsequent operation was organised specifically to remove it under controlled conditions.

The reports also do not indicate that swimmers had collided with the machinery or that an emergency rescue was required.

The significance of the discovery is therefore primarily related to safety, environmental maintenance and the extraordinary challenge of removing such a large object from the seabed.

The origin of the engine remains unclear

Despite the unusual nature of the discovery, the available information does not establish where the engine came from.

The municipality has confirmed its location, weight and removal but has not publicly explained the circumstances in which it was deposited on the seabed.

It would therefore be inappropriate to claim that the engine came from a particular boat, vessel or marine accident without further evidence.

For now, the confirmed story is about the discovery and successful removal of the machinery rather than its origin.

A seven-tonne object beneath a busy Ibiza beach

The sheer weight of the engine makes the operation unusual.

Seven tonnes is an enormous amount of metal to recover from underwater, especially in a location next to a marked swimming zone.

The recovery therefore required coordination between the municipality, Ports IB, specialist divers and lifeguard personnel, together with a heavy-lifting crane.

The operation demonstrates the scale of intervention sometimes required to maintain Ibiza's heavily used coastal areas.

The role of Eivisub

Specialist company Eivisub provided diving support during the operation.

The company was involved in helping secure and prepare the engine for lifting, allowing the heavy crane to carry out the final extraction.

The combination of specialist underwater work and heavy lifting was necessary because of the engine's dimensions and weight.

The municipal authorities thanked Ports IB, Eivisub and the lifeguard service for their cooperation in completing the operation.

The importance of keeping Ibiza's bathing areas clear

Ibiza's beaches receive large numbers of visitors during the summer, creating constant pressure on coastal infrastructure and requiring regular maintenance.

Routine underwater inspections can identify objects that might otherwise remain hidden beneath the surface.

In the case of Es Pouet, the inspection revealed an object that was both unusually large and located close to swimmers.

Removing it eliminates the obstruction and allows the seabed to return to a safer condition.

The operation took place after the summer discovery

Although the engine was found in August, the news of its removal was released on September 4.

This means the discovery and the recovery were separate stages of the process.

The municipality first identified the object during its August inspections. Because of the scale of the machinery, it then had to organise a specialist operation involving several services and a suitable crane.

The final extraction was subsequently completed successfully.

What happened during the recovery?

The basic sequence of events is clear from the municipal information and independent reports.

The engine was discovered underwater at Es Pouet in August.

It was located close to the buoy line marking the bathing area.

The municipality organised a joint operation with Ports IB.

Eivisub provided specialist diving assistance.

The municipal lifeguard and rescue service also participated.

A heavy-duty crane was used to lift the machinery out of the water.

Once recovered, the engine was found to weigh approximately 7,000 kilograms.

The motor has now been removed from the seabed

The main outcome of the operation is that the seven-tonne object is no longer underwater in the bathing area.

The municipality considers the intervention part of its ongoing work to maintain clean, safe and environmentally managed beaches.

The removal also eliminates an unusual piece of heavy machinery from a part of the sea regularly used by swimmers.

No further information has been provided publicly about the engine's ownership, its original use or how it came to rest on the seabed.

Sant Antoni continues its coastal maintenance programme

The Es Pouet operation is one example of the less visible work required to maintain Ibiza's beaches.

While visitors often associate beach management with cleaning the sand, placing bins or maintaining access points, the municipality also carries out surveillance beneath the water.

Such inspections can identify submerged waste, damaged infrastructure and other objects that may present safety or environmental concerns.

In this case, the discovery required an unusually large-scale recovery operation.

A remarkable Ibiza clean-up operation

The removal of a seven-tonne engine from Es Pouet is an unusual episode in Ibiza's summer coastal maintenance.

The machinery was sitting underwater beside the marked bathing area and was discovered during routine inspection work in August.

Its size meant that specialist divers, Ports IB, municipal lifeguards and a heavy-lifting crane were required to remove it.

The engine was eventually brought safely out of the water, where its weight was confirmed at approximately 7,000 kilograms.

The origin of the machinery remains unknown based on the information currently available, but its removal has eliminated the large obstruction from the seabed and contributed to the safety and environmental maintenance of the Es Pouet bathing area.

Key Facts

Location: Es Pouet beach, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza

Discovery: August 2026

Object: Large engine

Approximate weight: 7,000 kilograms

Position: Seabed next to the buoy line marking the bathing area

Lead authority: Sant Antoni Town Council

Other participants: Ports IB, Eivisub and Sant Antoni municipal Salvamento y Socorrismo

Equipment used: Heavy-duty crane

Outcome: Engine successfully removed from the sea

Reason for intervention: Coastal cleaning, maintenance, environmental management and bathing-area safety

Environmental frameworks cited by the municipality: ISO 14001 and EMAS