The Labour Day holiday was marred yesterday when Bermuda suffered yet another loss on the water.

A black male, believed to be aged between 50 and 60, was found in the water off Devonshire Bay in Devonshire as his boat mysteriously lay overturned a few feet away.

The dead man's name had not been officially released by Police as of late last night.

Harbour Radio was called at 11.45 a.m. yesterday by people on board a local fishing boat who found the 17 foot Salt and Pepper capsized about three quarters of a mile south of Watch Hill Park in Smith's.

Marine Police attended the scene close to the reefs, but all attempts to resuscitate the man proved in vain. He was pronounced dead soon after on arrival at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

It is unclear how his body came to be in the water, or how he died. The coroner has been informed and an autopsy is expected to be carried out.

The white and blue open launch boat was then towed into Devonshire Bay at about 1.30 p.m. by Marine Police.

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said: "Marine Police attended and found the boat capsized and the man unresponsive. Attempts to revive him were futile. "Anyone with information should get in touch with our Marine Division, where P.c. Tim Carr is investigating the incident."

Stephen Rossiter, of Devonshire Bay Road, Smith's, said he saw the overturned boat from his home as it sat off the bay at about 1.15 p.m. yesterday.

"I saw the fisheries warden come in a boat with a few people on board and they managed to right the boat before towing it into shore," said Mr. Rossiter.

"I didn't notice the boat before that, and I never saw it overturn, or anything. I noticed it had a really low deck, so it possibly may have been swamped by a wave or something, but I don't know.

"The sea is not too bad this afternoon, but it was a little rougher this morning."

A Harbour Radio spokesman said the sea swell was not high yesterday and the weather was not believed to have been a factor in the boat's capsizing and the man's death. But the death on the water yesterday is the latest in a number to occur this year.

Anyone with information about the latest death should call P.c. Carr on 299-4585.