This was the moment two cargo ships collided in the Welland Canal, Ontario on Saturday (July 11).

Footage shows both vessels slowly approaching and a loud thud as they hit each other.

The filmer Alex Stewart said: "I wasn’t expecting this for my first time watching the boat go down the canal."

The incident is now being investigated by Canada's Transportation Safety Board.

Local reports suggest both captains were in contact with each other before the accident.

The Welland Canal connects Lake Ontario to Lake Eerie.