NSRI probes discovery of mysterious survival immersion suits found floating in Cape Town surf

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has launched an extensive investigation after seven survival immersion suits were found floating near the shores of various Cape Town beaches.

The immersion suits were found at St James Beach, False Bay, between Seal Island and Roman Rock Lighthouse and Fish Hoek Beach among other areas over the weekend.

Mystery

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said they have not reported or established any reports of vessels in distress, missing or adrift, or not under command.

“During Saturday night City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Marine Unit officers located another two survival immersion suits that were recovered on Sunday morning, 19 January, by NSRI Strandfontein – one close to False Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, and one at Sonwabe Beach.

“Now a total of seven survival immersion suits that we are aware of that have been located in False Bay over the past 24 hours. It is odd for this type of survival equipment to be found adrift or coming ashore and the mystery as to their origin deepens,” Lambinon said.

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Monitoring

Lambinon said the NSRI, in cooperation with law enforcement and police, are continuing to monitor this matter.

“At this stage, we remain cautiously optimistic that they are not related to any persons or any vessel in any distress or any kind of trouble.

“We are appealing to the maritime community and the public to report any further findings of these survival immersion suits,” Lambinon said.

Lambinon earlier said a member of the public found one of the suits floating offshore of St James Beach at around 07:30 am on Saturday.

“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.

“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,” Lambinon said.

Manufacturer

He said the additional three immersion suits were brought to NSRI Simonstown by White Pointer II.

“A local surf-ski paddler, who lives above St James, reported noticing a survival immersion suit adrift shoreward about 300 metres offshore of St James Beach.”

Lambinon said minimal markings on the survival immersion suits hampered our investigation.

He added that the NSRI contacted the Chinese manufacturers of the survival immersion suits and they assisted in trying to identify where these suits may have been supplied (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 – NSRI has commended the Chinese manufacturers for their extensive efforts on a Saturday night, in China, for trying their best to help us in our extensive investigations.”

Investigations

Lambinon said the NSRI would continue to monitor the situation.

“NSRI commends the immense efforts deployed by all involved to assist in this matter that remains a mystery.”

“Thoughts are 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 not related to any kind of disaster at sea,” Lambinon said.

The NSRI has appealed 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.

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