Ottawa, May 10 (IANS): Canadian police have launched an investigation after a human foot washed up on the shores of British Columbia, marking the 14th time since 2007 that tides have carried a shoe-clad foot to the provinces coastline, the media reported.

The latest discovery was made on Gabriola Island in the strait of Georgia earlier this week, the Guardian quoted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as saying on Wednesday.

A man was walking along the beach when he came across what appeared to be a disarticulated foot inside a hiking boot. The boot had become lodged in a logjam, the RCMP said in a statement.

The find was the latest in a series that has sparked global speculation.

Since 2007, another 13 feet have washed up in British Columbia, all of them clad in running shoes.

Some have linked the finds to natural disasters, such as the 2004 tsunami, or plane or boat accidents at sea, the Guardian reported.

Others have theorised that the feet might be the work of a serial killer or organised crime.

The last sneaker-clad foot was found in December 2017 along the southern coast of Vancouver Island.

The province's coroner service later said the foot belonged to a 79-year-old Washington state man who had gone missing and was later found dead. The investigation is ongoing.

In prior cases, the provincial coroner's office ruled out foul play, noting that none of the feet showed signs of trauma.

Eight of the feet have been identified and they included two pairs. The remaining lone feet all belonged to men.

In the case of this latest find, police said they are currently working with their forensic identification service and the provincial coroner in an effort to identify the remains.