The worn-out small wooden raft, equipped with a dummy (pacifier), a toy torch, a stuffed bear and a child vest mounted as a tentative sail was found floating in the Thun lake near Bern, according to local reports.

The find has prompted cantonal police to launch an investigation into the possible disappearance of its young passenger, with some fearing that he or she might have fallen into the cold waters of the lake, a report on Corriere del Ticino newspaper said.

The raft was spotted last Friday and scuba divers have since been combing the lake.

But according to reports in the 20 Minuten daily, no baby was reported missing in the area. Experts speculate that the raft may have been built as a spiritual “mourning” ritual, put in place by distraught parents dealing with the death of an infant, since the objects found on it have a strong symbolic meaning, 20 Minuten reported.