A huge whale-shaped plane was seen from Swansea as it flew above Wales. The Airbus Beluga aircraft caught the attention of people on the ground who were amazed by its size as it glided through the air.
Amateur photographer Daniel Lee Griffiths pictured the plane from outside his home in Gorseinon at around 8.45am on January 25.
He said: "[I] had a nose on the flight radar map and noticed a plane flying northwards which isn't common, so caught my attention. Never expected to be able to see it from Gorseinon though.
"I was amazed I was able to get a shot of the Beluga from so far, I used the Google map to check the distance which was about 40 miles as the crow flies and its altitude was six miles. I was excited to share what I had captured on social media.
"Never seen one before and just amazed how something so massive and awkward looked manages to get in the air. Is it a bird, is it a plane? Well, a whale actually."
Beluga planes are 17 metres high and 56 metres long, with a wingspan of 45 metres.
The aircraft's bulging shape earned the it its name, being similar in shape to a Beluga whale. However, the shape also means it can carry heavy loads.
Over time, the Beluga has been used to transport a variety of special loads, including space station components, large and delicate artwork, industrial machinery, and intact helicopters.
By 2025, Beluga planes will be replaced by the BelugaXL, which is about six metres longer and one metre wider than the regular model.
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GENERAL NON SPECIFIC
One of these larger aircraft was pictured over the Severn Bridge as it made its inaugural flight to the UK.
The Beluga plane spotted over Wales on Monday was taking a journey between Toulouse in France and Broughton.
According to Airbus, it was a routine operational flight following a route over south Wales that is often taken by the Beluga.
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