Mine clearer survives blast thanks to armoured excavator

A heavily armoured Chilean landmine clearing excavator proved its worth after it detonated an explosive device, saving the life of its operator.

Video posted yesterday of the dramatic explosion was captured by Chile's Defence Ministry and released last week.

Footage taken on the country's Peruvian border showed the armoured Caterpillar 320 excavator striking a mine that contained about 7kgs of munitions.

A huge explosion occurred and the machine's operator was shown being rocked in his cab by the blast.

Despite being thrown around, the machine showed its robustness in finding and de-arming the deadly ordnance.

Chile is a signatory to the Ottawa Convention that seeks to ban landmines worldwide and has been clearing minefields installed by the country's former military dictator Augusto Pinochet.

In the early 1980s, Pinochet - fearing imminent invasion - ordered the laying of about 180,000 mines along the nation's borders with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.

They have been a deadly nuisance ever since, killing 29 people and maiming many others.