NZer feared drowned off Tasmania

Australian police hold grave fears for a New Zealand fisherman missing off the coast of Tasmania.

Police said Basil Alexander Lee, 40, had been with friends near the Triabunna wharf on the east coast of the island when he went missing, the ABC reported.

Mr Lee worked as a deck hand on a fishing boat and returned to it to sleep about 11pm on Monday, but his friends raised the alarm on Tuesday morning, when they could not find him.

Inspector John Ward said police fear the deckhand has drowned.

"Because he's gone missing from a wharf we have some concerns that he could have gone into the water," he said.

Police divers searched waters off the fishing wharf, but failed to find any trace of Mr Lee.

- NZPA