A boy who tragically drowned while free-diving in Tasmania over a year ago, died accidentally when his foot got caught in his spearfishing line, a coroner has ruled.
The Year 10 Chinese exchange student was swimming with friends at Lighthouse Bay, South Bruny in Tasmania on November 7, 2021 when his foot became entangled in the nylon line of his spear gun and he was unable to free himself.
In his findings handed down last year, coroner Robert Webster ruled the boy's death an accident following a limited autopsy and the official cause of death was drowning.
A toxicology report was negative for alcohol and illicit drugs.
Mr Webster said the boy, from Taroona High School, became suspended under four to five metres of water "after he dove to free his spear which had been fired and caught in rocks on the sea floor".
Paramedics were called but the 16-year-old boy died at the scene and his body was flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Mr Webster described free-diving as a hazardous unregulated leisure activity and recommended that participants never dive alone and undertake a course prior as a safety measure.
