After a week long search, the remains of the fisherman who was washed out to sea at Blythedale last Sunday were finally found floating offshore near Nonoti this afternoon.

The body was at an advanced stage of decomposition making identification difficult, however the remains were taken to the Stanger morgue and the family positively identified the man this afternoon.

Rapid Care’s Paul Herbst confirmed that the family of Stanger resident, Ricky Naidoo, had identified him.

“It was not a happy ending but we are glad the family can now begin to find closure,” he said.

Last Sunday the 44-year-old Stanger man disappeared off the rocks where he was fishing. According to witnesses he had gone down into a gully to try and untangle his line when a wave swept him out to sea.

After a week of searching without any sign of him a jet-ski fisherman made a grim discovery when he hooked the remains of a human body on his fishing line early this morning.

He managed to secure the remains to a bouy but by the time he was able to contact the KwaDukuza life guards the tide had swept it further along the coast.

The life guards, SAPS search and rescue and Rapid Care continued the search until the body was found at around 3pm this afternoon.

Herbst said the assistance of microlight pilot David Daniel had made a huge difference to the search efforts.

There have been three drowning cases on the Dolphin Coast this week.

Last Monday a 28-year-old Shakashead man drowned at Salmon Bay in Ballito. His body has not been found.

On Thursday a 17-year-old boy from Groutville drowned at Tinley Manor and his body was recovered on Friday.

All three drownings occurred at unprotected beaches.