– It’s disgusting that this is here.

So says Mike Jones, 56, on Vancouver Island, on Canada’s west coast. NY Times.

Last Thursday, Jones’ dog found a human bone on a beach in British Columbia.

This is the 13th time since 2007 that a human leg wearing shoes has washed up along the British Columbia coast. At first, the results attracted a lot of attention and people feared that something criminal was the cause. Some feared a mass murderer was on the loose. Others believed people had been killed and thrown into the sea from boats along the coast.

Not criminal

But after investigating the results, British Columbia police revealed that these results had a natural explanation.

In winter, spring floods often occur in the region. This causes objects that float with ocean currents to be washed ashore here. Whale, orca and sea lion bones are not uncommon. Among the objects carried by ocean currents are shoes – along with remains of human bones.

British Columbia coroners took DNA from the 13 finds and found the identities of eight of the bone’s owners. The police where they disappeared do not suspect there was anything criminal behind their deaths.

The disgusting explanation

They all fell into the water somewhere along the American coast – from Alaska in the north to Washington state in the south. Then their bodies rotted or were eaten.

At some point, the foot or leg became detached at the knee or ankle. The shoes, which all had rubber soles, did not rot, but were carried away by the current and moved along the coast of Canada. When the spring tide arrives in winter, they are stranded along the coast.

This case was first published on December 12, 2017.