Mystery dark patch spotted off Toti beach

A mysterious dark patch that floated past eManzimtoti's main beach is under investigation by authorities. Picture: Andre Beetge

A mysterious dark patch that floated past eManzimtoti's main beach is under investigation by authorities. Picture: Andre Beetge

Published Mar 4, 2015

Share

Durban -

A black patch of water thought to be an oil or chemical spill in eManzimtoti is under investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority.

On Tuesday, bathers alerted lifeguards to a dark patch floating offshore near Pipeline Beach.

The suspected oil slick was estimated to be 30 metres in diameter and was spotted after midday moving southwards.

By the afternoon, the slick could not be seen.

Local authorities at eManzimtoti Beach had been watching the spill and were concerned it would wash ashore near Toti Lagoon.

eThekwini councillor, Andre Beetge, photographed the patch from a high-rise building in Beach Road.

“From the shoreline we could not see anything. I went to the 26th floor of a building nearby and photographed what looked like an oil slick.

“A boat was sent out to get samples of water, but was unable to get any. When they got into the surf, they got a stench of oil, but could not confirm what it was,” he said.

Lifeguards said when they received reports of oil in the water, they thought it was the reflection of a cloud.

Beetge said the matter was also reported to the local tourism organisation, but no one could tell what it was.

“It was a discoloration of the water. I contacted the companies using a pipeline that runs into the sea, but they did not know anything.

“At the moment, I cannot confirm what it was but it seemed to have dissolved into the sea. The picture is all we have as proof,” Beetge said.

Two officials from the Maritime Authority were at the beach interviewing people to try to establish what had happened.

Spokeswoman for the authority, Ayanda Mngadi, said officials had gone to the beach but had not seen any oil slick.

“To make certain, the team travelled further south to Warner Beach, but still could not spot anything in the water,” she said

.

Related Topics: