A police investigation has found that a memorial stone at Shark Island in Luderitz was damaged by the forces of the weather and not vandalism.

The memorial tombstone was recently erected in remembrance of the Nama and Herero victims of the German genocide war.

Station Commander of Luderitz, Chief Inspector Michael Amadhila, said, "Myself and the commander of CIU made inquiries from the security guard who was on duty at that moment, and we also found the official of NWR, I guess, and they confirmed that it was actually not an act of vandalism."

According to Chief Inspector Amadhila, strong winds knocked the tombstone off its base, suggesting it may not have been properly secured.

While speaking at the launch of an investigation into Shark Island's history this week, Gaob Johannes Isaack, Chairperson of the Nama Traditional Leaders Association, described the damage to the memorial site as sad.

"As you may have heard, the stone, weighing one and a half tonnes, was brought down by wind. I want to believe that this dreadful happening signals a very intrinsic message, something that we may have missed, and as traditionalists, we want to make sure that whatever we decide to become the symbol of memory for the island will carry the blessings of the people, so it serves as a totem to all of us."