One man is confirmed dead and up to three more may be missing after an offshore clash between abalone poachers and fisheries compliance officers‚ it emerged on Wednesday.

Compliance officers in a large rubber duck allegedly “ran over” a smaller vessel carrying several divers near Dyer Island‚ off Pearly Beach in the Overberg region of the Western Cape‚ before dawn on Sunday.

Police confirmed one body had since been found‚ but community members say others are still missing.

The Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries confirmed the incident but denied their vessel had ridden over the suspects they were pursuing.

“They [the compliance officers] are not in the business of running boats over‚” said Daff spokeswoman Carol Moses. “Our officials were just doing their job and the poachers jumped overboard to try and get away. A search ensued and nobody was found.”