:A man's dead body was found in the water at Dockyard a day after he is believed to have fallen overboard.

Police have not ruled out foul play after 43-year-old Tyrone Berkeley described as a very strong swimmer got into difficulty while out fishing on his own.

Neighbours are said to have heard cries for help at about 9.30 p.m. on Monday, a few hours after Mr. Berkeley, of Sandys, was last seen alive.

The victim's devastated father Howard Berkeley says his body was found near the shore about 1.45 p.m. yesterday, following a search involving Police divers.

"It's mysterious, very mysterious, but we have to wait for the autopsy," Mr. Berkeley Sr. told The Royal Gazette last night.

Mr. Berkeley said his son was nicknamed "Beaver" because he was such a good swimmer, while the weather is not considered to have been a factor.

"He could swim from Dockyard to Hamilton he was such a strong swimmer," he said. "But anything could happen out there. I don't know if he's caught a rockfish or what. I don't know. It's pretty hard.

"He loved fishing; it was his life, that's what he did. He would fish every day and at night when he could.

"He never went far. He had a little punt he used to take out to the rocks. Most of the time he would fish on the rocks, not on the boat.

"The thing that got me was how did the Police know that he was missing? From what I heard, the neighbours heard: 'Help, help!' It was pretty close to shore. He didn't go too far."

Police say they received a report of a man overboard in the area of Cockburn Road, Sandys, at about 9.30 p.m. on Monday. Mr. Berkeley said early evening, possibly at about 6 p.m., his son had spoken to a friend about getting some bait but it is thought nobody saw him after that.

The Marine Police Unit, divers from the Underwater Search and Rescue Team, and other Police officers carried out searches of the shoreline area and inshore waters into the early hours of Tuesday. The search resumed yesterday morning.

Mr.Berkeley Sr., who was on the shoreline until he got the call that the body was found, described the agonising wait:"I was just hoping just hoping. Oh my goodness."

Mr. Berkeley said his son a bachelor with no children who recently worked as a painter was a generous character who used to give away the fish he caught.

"He was a character. He was a pain in the neck, but he was a character. There was no telling what he would do next," he said. "Everybody in the family is crying."

Bermuda Weather Service said around 9.30 p.m. on Monday winds were at nine or ten knots, which is considered pretty weak, while it was not raining.

A statement from Bermuda Police Service said:"It appears that Mr. Berkeley went fishing in the Dockyard area Monday night when he got into difficulty. A full investigation into this incident is underway."

Anybody with information should call Police on 295-0011.