UPDATE: Brake Malfunction Sends Truck Into Ocean

Officials say it was a faulty brake that caused a dump truck to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean this morning in North Wildwood.

NBC 40 covered this all day as it unfolded, they say the driver, 44 year-old Alfred Priest, was checked out by medics and did not need to be taken to the hospital.

The bizarre incident happened during a beach replenishment project in North Wildwood around 9:30 Friday morning.

The truck was trapped in sand and about four feet of water. It took several hours and a few pieces of heavy machinery to free the truck.

Representatives from the company that owns the 40-ton dump truck say a brake malfunction is to blame, and that they’re thankful no one was hurt.