It's hard to tell, but it looks like a 50ft section of decking, attached to the shoulders or 'whaleboards' as I've heard them called... basically the edgings that knit the railings to the deck and infrastructure has finally succumbed.
The decking and shoulders were surely just rotten wood by now.
Some of the steelwork along that stretch must have failed, in order for the weight of the structure above to bring it down.
The iron piles are still there.
The seaward end was always fragile, and I'm amazed it lasted this long.
It would be interesting to refer to the expensive survey done by Datreys about 7 years ago, to see how they assessed that section.
Also, to get Dave R's view, because who knows more about piers in Wales than him?
Irrespective of today's events, nothing has changed, it can be salvaged and renovated... is there the will? I think there is.
Today's sad event should galvanise supporters, not demoralise them!