Unmanned Kayak found

UPDATE: URGENT SEARCH AND RESCUE PORT ELIZABETH: OWNERS OF SEA KAYAK FOUND SAFE ON DRY LAND AND UNAWARE OF A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION:This morning, Thursday, 03 July, NSRI Port Elizabeth were informed of the identity of two men who reportedly abandoned their fishing kayak at Noordhoek Beach yesterday.NSRI Port Elizabeth contacted the men who confirmed that while fishing without luck they rowed towards shore where their fishing kayak filled with water in breakers and they were forced to swim ashore.After their fishing kayak washed ashore they found it to be damaged and elected to abandon the fishing kayak on the beach without informing anyone.Later a bystander raised the alarm reporting an abandoned fishing kayak found on the beach and a search and rescue operation commenced but with little information to go on during the night, with no persons reported overdue or missing, not much could be done besides an extensive shoreline search that yielded no immediate results.While emergency services are satisfied that both men are safe NSRI do encourage persons who get into this type of difficulties but then managed a self rescue to alert rescue authorities in order to avoid a search and rescue operation being launched. Police have the men's details and they will retain the fishing kayak until the men choose to recover their fishing kayak from Police.NSRI wish to thank the tremendous support of media offices and the many people who took to social media networks to spread the alert that ultimately resulted in the men being identified and then confirmed to be in no danger. ORIGINAL REPORT:Early evening, Wednesday, 02 July, NSRI Port Elizabeth were notified of an unmanned fishing ski kayak (sea kayak - fishing kayak) washed up on the shoreline in the vicinity of Noordhoek, Port Elizabeth.NSRI urgently request assistance identifying who the kayak belongs to in case a person may be missing at sea.The fishing kayak is Green and Yellow with the name MERMAID written on it.The paddle has also washed up in the vicinity of Noordhoek. The paddle has a name or word WES written on it.Car parks, launching sites and the shoreline are being scoured for any information that can assist rescue authorities to identify if a person is missing at sea or if the fishing kayak got washed out to sea unmanned.NSRI Port Elizabeth, The SA Police Services, Coastal Rescue, the Nelson Mandela Bay Beach Managers Office, local Abalone Anti Poaching task force are assisting in a search at present in an effort to identify if anyone is overdue or missing at sea but there is very little information to go one and it would help greatly if the owners, or someone, can identify whose fishing kayak this is or if anyone knows of someone missing or overdue.The kayak and paddle are in good condition ruling out the possibility that they have been floating at sea for a long time.NSRI urge paddlers, boaters, surfers to stencil a name and contactable telephone numbers on their sea going equipment.Anyone with information that can help in identifying the fishing kayak or the owner to call SEA RESCUE: 082 380 3800 OR 082 324 1977.GREEN AND YELLOW FISHING KAYAK with the name MERMAID written on it.PADDLE with the word or name WES written on it.