Were human feet found in the Salish Sea? Netflix's 'Files of the Unexplained' explores severed feet floating ashore
SALISH SEA, WASHINGTON: Since August 20, 2007, a total of at least 20 detached human feet have been discovered along the coastlines of the Salish Sea in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, United States.
On New Year's Day in 2019, beachgoers made a grim discovery at the south end of Jetty Island in Everett, Washington: a foot encased in a boot. Remarkably, this foot was linked to a man who had been missing since 2016. The year prior, another eerie discovery unfolded when a solitary right foot, adorned with a hiking boot, was found wedged between logs on Gabriola Island near Vancouver.
Adding to the macabre series of events, a year prior, an individual stumbled upon a foot adorned in a black Velcro athletic shoe, with the tibia and fibula still attached, along a different beach in British Columbia. This foot was ultimately linked to Stanley K. Okumoto, who had gone missing in September 2017 at the age of 79.
Surprisingly, the phenomenon of severed feet washing up on this coastline is not an isolated incident—it's a recurring occurrence. This peculiar phenomenon has captivated the interest of Canadians, Americans, and the media for years, even meriting its own dedicated Wikipedia page.
Netflix's chilling docuseries 'Files of the Unexplained' delves into eight chilling encounters that might leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. In one of the episodes, they will be showcasing the mystery behind human feet found ashore in the Salish Sea.
Why do body parts end up on the shores of the Salish Sea?
Parker MacCready, an oceanography professor at the University of Washington, provided a clear explanation for the phenomenon.
"Things that float at the ocean surface are influenced by ocean currents and wind," he explained to Vox. "The prevailing winds in the area around the Salish Sea are west to east, so floating objects in this part of the Pacific are effectively blown towards the coast," he added.
The prevalence of feet washing ashore can be attributed to the natural disarticulation of human bodies in the water, where hands and feet often detach from corpses after prolonged immersion in the ocean.
According to Gail Anderson, co-director of the Center for Forensic Research at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, feet easily disarticulate and can become attached to flotation devices such as running shoes, facilitating their washing ashore. Anderson noted that feet are not typically found in stiletto heels or flip-flops, as these types of footwear are less buoyant.
Additionally, modern running shoes are more buoyant than older models, which aids in their transportation by ocean currents.
British Columbia Coroners Service has identified 8 of the previous 12 feet found ashore
Officials on both the US and Canadian sides of the border seem to adopt a nonchalant attitude towards the recurring phenomenon.
"The BC Coroners Service has been able to identify eight of the previous 12 feet, belonging to six individuals," stated the agency. "In none of the cases was any foul play involved."
The British Columbia Coroners Service, the designated authority to contact upon encountering a severed foot, has gone so far as to compile a convenient map pinpointing locations where shoes containing washed-up feet have been discovered.
However, it's worth noting that this map may not encompass the most recent findings.
King County’s coroner says it's difficult to trace the original owner as they are not 'fresh feet'
Kathy Taylor, a former forensic anthropologist at the King County Medical Examiner's Office, discussed the challenges involved in tracing the owners.
"The ones I have seen are not fresh feet," remarked Taylor from King County to Vox. "They've been in the water for a long time, with significant decomposition," Taylor added. In many cases, DNA is too degraded to be tested after spending days or weeks in salt water.
Moreover, there may not be any DNA samples available for comparison, as many individuals whose final resting place is the sea do not have genetic material on record. Other potential identifying features such as scars and tattoos are lost to the depths of the ocean, leaving little more than bones and strips of flesh to wash ashore.
Regarding the increasing reports of feet on beaches, Taylor attributes it in part to heightened media coverage, which has made beachgoers more vigilant. "The reason it's become a phenomenon is it's gotten a lot of press," she explained. "Now people are checking."
'Files of the Unexplained' is set to release on Wednesday, April Wednesday, 3, 2024 on Netflix.
