Dive squad search in the Victoria Dock area on Hobart waterfront

Police have identified the man who died after falling in the water at Hobart’s wharf but are yet to determine how the incident occurred.

LATEST: A 32-year-old Victorian man on a work trip has died underwater at Hobart’s waterfront, but police are still trying to determine how and why the tragedy occurred.

The man, who has been identified and his family notified, was with colleagues before he was spotted struggling in the water at Victoria Dock about 4.30am.

An early-morning jogger tried to help the man and immediately called police, who arrived within minutes, but the man had submerged underwater.

A police dive squad was called in to rescue the man, but he had died before he was retrieved from the water about 6.15am.

Tasmania Police Acting Inspector Darren Latham said investigators were putting together a timeline of the man’s movements between 1.30am and 4.30am and had spoken to a number of witnesses.

He said waterfront businesses had also been contacted, and police would analyse available CCTV footage.

“We still can’t determine the movements of the man and why and how he ended up in the water,” Acting Inspector Latham said.

“At this stage, there’s nothing to indicate any suspicious circumstances but it will be treated seriously so there are a number of inquiries that we are going through.”

He said police had issued a call for public assistance, asking anyone who had seen the man near Victoria Dock, between Argyle and Evans streets, before he ended up underwater.

The man is described as being of Asian appearance with a slim build, clean-shaven and with short dark hair.

He was wearing black slacks, a blue long-sleeve business shirt, a grey linen jacket and brown RM Williams boots.

A professional fisherman, whose boat is berthed at Victoria Dock, said the man was retrieved from between boats at a finger pier.

He wasn’t surprised someone had died in the water and had seen “numerous” people fall in over the years.

The man’s cause of death is yet to be confirmed, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

UPDATED: Police have put out a call for public help into the death of a man at Hobart’s waterfront this morning.

Anyone who may have seen the man near Victoria Dock, between Evans and Argyle streets, between 1.30am and 4.30am today has been urged to contact police immediately.

The deceased man is described as in his early 30s, Asian appearance, slim build, clean-shaven and with short dark hair.

He was wearing black slacks, a blue long-sleeve business shirt, a grey linen jacket and brown RM Williams boots.

Anyone with information has been asked to come forward or contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

EARLIER: A PROFESSIONAL fisherman, who’s boat is berthed at Victoria Dock where a man drowned early today, says he isn’t surprised that someone had died.

Police divers recovered the body of a man after an early-morning jogger spotted the man in distress about 4.30 this morning. The jogger had tried to help the man but he slipped under the surface.

The fisherman said the body was found between boats off one of the finger piers at Victoria Dock.

Victoria Dock on Hobart's waterfront. Picture: Google maps

“People who are a bit under the weather and tourists go up to the edge all the time,” he said.

“There should be gates restricting access at the entrance to those finger piers, like those at Kings Pier.”

The fisherman said he had seen numerous people fall into the water over the years.

“It’s a basic public liability and safety issue.”

EARLIER: Police have told how an early-morning jogger tried in vain to rescue a man in distress in water at Victoria Dock on Hobart’s waterfront today.

Acting Inspector in Charge of Hobart, Darren Latham, said police understood a male jogger saw the man in distress in the water about 4.30am.

“[The jogger] tried to render some assistance, and unfortunately [the man] has disappeared under the waterline at that time,” Acting Inspector Latham said.

Acting Inspector Latham said police responded within minutes, but were unable to locate the man.

“Police divers were called in to assist in searching the water, and unfortunately they located a deceased male and we’ve retrieved the body and we’re now conducting an inquiry into what’s occurred,” he said.

Police have found the body of man in water at Victoria Dock on Hobart's waterfront.

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The body was found about 6.15am.

“We don’t have any details [about the man] at the minute, that’s something that the investigation will reveal through the day to determine who this man is and how he’s got in the water,” Acting Inspector Latham said.

“At this stage there’s nothing to suggest [the death is] is suspicious, however, like all these matters, we do take it seriously and we’ll keep an open mind.

“We are trying to establish how the man got into the water, so the inquiries today will be around CCTV and as we get further information we may be able to provide further detail to appeal to the public at that point.”

EARLIER: A POLICE dive squad has been deployed to search for a person who is believed to have fallen into the water on Hobart’s waterfront.

In a brief statement at 6am, Tasmania Police said police and ambulance were conducting an operation in the Victoria Dock area, using the dive squad in relation to the search for a male.

There will be a heightened police presence in the area, and police asked the public to avoid the area where possible.