A 25-year-old man had drowned yesterday, Thursday October 25 after his leg apparently got tangled in the nylon line he used while diving for sea cucumber, on the northern coast of 'Atata Island, off Tongatapu.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Taniela Faletau said today the deceased was Lasitani Foliaki, a married man from 'Eua who lived at 'Atata.

He said around 9am yesterday morning, Lasitani and two men went diving for sea cucumber in the northern coastal area of the island. Sometime before noon yesterday one of the men found one of Lasitani's flippers floating in the water. He knew then something was wrong and went to the area and found the deceased half submerged in the water.

Taniela said it appeared that the nylon line he used to trap the sea cucumber had tangled his leg. "The information we have so far indicates this seemed to have caused his death as there were no illegal gas cylinders or tubes used for the diving," he said.

"This is probably the first death that has occurred from this type of sea cucumber diving in Tonga. We had a few divers who died over the past years but it was mainly from decompression, after using illegal diving method like gas cylinders," he said.

"It is a dreadful incident to have resulted in a death since we know that he did this activity to try and earn income for his family."

"Police will complete an inquest later today but we can confirm there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Medical officials at Vaiola Hospital confirmed the cause of death as drowning," he said.

However, Taniela said a further investigation would be carried out that will include inquiring with the Fisheries Department on the legality of this type of sea cucumber fishing method, and whether it was done outside of the sea cucumber fishing season allowed by law.

"But I suspect this type of fishing is not illegal," he said.