A massive saltwater crocodile hunted down a sea turtle just five metres from a beach before dragging it back out to sea.

Tom Howe was enjoying breakfast on Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia, on October 16 when he spotted a ‘rock’ moving weirdly in the waves just offshore.

Having realised it was a battle of life and death, incredible drone footage shows the giant croc with its jaws clamped around the unfortunate turtle’s shell.

Using its immense power, the four-metre-long predator breezed through the rocks and waves with ease as the turtle tired and eventually succumbed to the crocodile.

Tom said: “We were sitting on the beach eating some breakfast, when I kept noticing one rock slightly move or have weird waves break on it.

“When I went closer to check it out, I realised the rock was a crocodile and turtle. They were five metres offshore, so I asked my friend to go to the car and get my drone.

“I have never seen a crocodile eating a turtle before. I watched them for roughly 30 minutes before the croc eventually took them both out past the shallows reef.

“Once it was into the deeper ocean it was attempting to dive down with the turtle but resurfaced to get a better grip.

“When they were offshore it looked like the turtle had no energy left to swim away.”