IOL Five survival immersion suits were found floating adrift in False Bay, prompting NSRI to look out for any vessels in distress.
Image: Supplied / NSRI
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has launched an extensive investigation after survival immersion suits were located adrift in False Bay in the Western Cape over the weekend.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said on Saturday morning a survival immersion suit was located floating offshore of St James Beach by a member of the public after 7 am.
"The survival suit was recovered by Muizenberg security officers and handed into the care of NSRI Simonstown.
"As the morning progressed more survival immersion suits were reported adrift in False Bay."
Lambinon said two of these suits were located offshore between Seal Island and Roman Rock Lighthouse, by the commercial charter vessel, White Pointer II, who recovered the 2 survival immersion suits.
A third suit was then recovered.
" A local surf-ski paddler, who lives above St James, reported noticing a survival immersion suit adrift shoreward about 300 meters offshore of St James Beach.
"An NSRI Simonstown rescue craft was launched and searched for that suit."
Lambinon said concerned that these suits could have been related to a vessel in distress, NSRI Coast Watchers around False Bay, NSRI Strandfontein, and NSRI Gordons Bay were alerted to join NSRI Simonstown keeping a sharp lookout.
IOL Survival immersion suit was first spotted on Saturday morning in False Bay, and later four more were found.
Image: supplied/ NSRI
Lambinon said they reached out to the Chinese manufacturers of the survival immersion suits, in China.
"They assisted in trying to identify where these suits may have been supplied to (perhaps the name of a motor vessel or a sailing yacht).
"Although that led us relatively to a dead end – as it emerged that they could have been resold several times, as is usual for this type of maritime rescue equipment."
He said no reports of any vessels in distress, missing or adrift, or not under command had been reported.
"The swift action by everyone who promptly and effectively assisted in this extensive investigation to thoroughly rule out that there may be persons or a vessel in distress is highly commendable."
He said the NSRI is leaning towards the possibility that these survival immersion suits, manufactured in 2015, may well have been discarded in the ocean by a passing vessel, although it remains unknown.
"We will continue to monitor, but we are cautiously optimistic that they are unrelated to any kind of disaster at sea."
NSRI is appealing to the maritime community, fishermen (anglers), and the public, around False Bay and beyond, to report anything further that may be found that may be related to this case, to contact NSRI EOC – 0870949774.
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