Mystery may always surround the drowning death of fisherman Michael Ambrose Jones who was found off a public wharf in September last year.

Coroner Will Francis ruled yesterday that Mr. Jones, 48, drowned "sometime in the morning hours'' of September 2, 1999 -- but drew no conclusions on what caused him to end up in the water that morning.

Mr. Jones, of Jones' Village, habitually fished from the Spithead Public Dock, just west of the junction of Longford Hill and Harbour Road in Warwick.

"All that I can say is that he did die by drowning in the early morning hours that day,'' Mr. Francis said. "How he came to have ended up in the water can't be determined.

"And I make no finding as to how. There is no evidence that I can find that points to foul play. This is an inquiry, not a trial. If there had been more that showed (foul play)...'' Investigating officer P.c. Frederick Smith wrote in his findings the death was "extremely tragic'' because there was no sign of external injury or signs of a struggle either on Mr. Jones' body or at the dockside.

P.c. Smith was not present for the inquest, having called in sick late yesterday afternoon. His statement was read in by Coroner's Officer Phil Taylor.

He added that the death was "mysterious and most unfortunate'' because there were no witnesses. Mr. Jones was a strong swimmer.

Sgt. Taylor also read in the statement of Mary Ann Johnson, who was out walking with a friend that morning and found Mr. Jones.

She said she always checked the Spithead Dock for trash and was not believed by her friend when she said she suspected a body was there.

Mrs. Johnson found Mr. Jones face down in the water with a large amount of fishing line wrapped around his ankle, The other end of the line was tied to the legs of a springboard.

Mrs. Johnson told Police: "I just wish I had gone there earlier so that I could have done more for him. I guess that is how life is sometimes.'' Doctors found that Mr. Jones was otherwise healthy except for a tumour on his pancreas -- which evidence showed he had sought treatment for.

And while his aunt Lorraine Joell said Mr. Jones was a heavy drinker, autopsy tests showed he had a "minimal'' amount of alcohol in his blood and urine.

The autopsy also revealed there was a wound to Mr. Jones' head that had to be "reflected'' and was not visible through unaided observation.

Locum Pathologist at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital John Stefanelli said the wound was to the back of the head and said there was "not enough information'' to conclude if the wound came before or after death.

When Mr. Francis asked if the bruise could have come from a blow to the head, Dr. Stefanelli answered: "Yes, or it could have been from a fall.'' "I guess we just don't know?'' Mr. Francis replied.

"I wouldn't hypothesise. It would not have been a heavy blow without damaging the skin,'' the doctor answered. "There was no breaking of the skin.'' Dr. Stefanelli also admitted the fishing line could have slipped down Mr.

Jones' pants leg to his ankle while he was in the water.