A major search mission at sea in French Polynesia has been abandoned after the fisherman assumed to have fallen overboard was found to have been asleep.
French Polynesia Photo: Supplied
The incident occurred off Napuka in the Tuamotu archipelago.
The rescue centre says the alarm was raised and a plane, a helicopter and three vessels were dispatched after the fisherman had been reported missing.
It says it turned out that he had hidden to have a sleep and could not be found by the remaining crew.
It says the crew was stunned when he reappeared after his sleep.