'Severed arm' in Durban harbour turns out to be a dud

Police divers called out to search for a body after a "severed arm" was seen floating in Durban harbour were relieved their mission turned out to be a false alarm.

In a Facebook post on Monday afternoon, head of Durban Metro police Steve Middleton said police divers from Durban search and rescue, with the metro police search and rescue unit, were called to Maydon Wharf 8 at the harbour after an "arm" was spotted in the water.

"Transnet Stevedores alerted the port captain that a severed arm was seen floating in the water along the wharfside. The howling south easterly wind had pushed the limb into a large flotsam of debris between a cargo vessel and the wharf," he said.

Divers immediately jumped in to recover the limb, before it became submerged beneath the debris and vessel.

"Once recovered, it was established that the 'severed limb' was, in fact, a life-like medical training prostheses.

"On a lighter note the incident was not lost on the divers. It provided a true reflection of response time, rapid access to an extremely difficult surface, search and recovery, and the coordination between different organisations," Middleton said.