[Image: NSRI]
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has launched an investigation after seven survival immersion suits were discovered adrift near the shores of several Cape Town beaches, sparking more questions than answers.
The suits, eerily sans people, surfaced at St James Beach, False Bay, the stretch between Seal Island and Roman Rock Lighthouse, and Fish Hoek Beach, among other locations over the weekend.
Whispers of their origins have stirred curiosity along the coastline, leaving locals and authorities wondering about the story behind these ghostly orange finds.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon confirmed a total of seven survival immersion suits were located over the past 24 hours, “that we are aware of”, he said via The Citizen, adding: “It is odd for this type of survival equipment to be found adrift or coming ashore and the mystery as to their origin deepens”.

He said that they have not reported or established any reports of vessels in distress, missing or adrift, or not under command, adding that 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,” Lambinon said.
Lambinon earlier revealed that a member of the public spotted one of the survival suits drifting offshore near St James Beach at about 07:30 on Saturday morning.
The suit was retrieved by Muizenberg security officers and handed over to NSRI Simon’s Town. As the day unfolded, reports of more survival immersion suits adrift in False Bay began trickling in, each adding to the intrigue.
Two of the suits were discovered floating offshore between Seal Island and Roman Rock Lighthouse. The commercial charter vessel White Pointer II was quick to respond, recovering both suits from the water, Lambinon noted.

In terms of figuring out where these orange suits came from, Lambinon explained that the NSRI reached out to the Chinese manufacturers, seeking clues about their origins—perhaps a connection to 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.”
Although the NSRI are going to continue to monitor the situation, Lambinon reckons it is most likely that these survival immersion suits, manufactured in 2015, were discarded in the ocean by a passing vessel, although it remains unknown.
“We are appealing to the maritime community and the public to report any further findings of these survival immersion suits,” Lambinon sais.
[Source: The Citizen]