Search continues for third day
14-year-old girl missing in Choman tourist area
CHOMAN — A 14-year-old girl has been missing for three days in an area of Erbil’s Choman district that is popular with tourists, with authorities uncertain whether she has drowned.
The Soran Civil Defense reported that the girl’s whereabouts have been unknown since Friday in Ene, a tourism hotspot, and the search for her continues.
Choman, located near the Iranian border, is renowned for its cooler climate, mountainous terrain, and lush environment, attracting many tourists from the Kurdistan Region and across Iraq.
Authorities have not yet determined the girl’s fate, but search efforts are ongoing. Rawand Hawdiani, spokesperson for the Soran Civil Defense, told 964media that the girl’s shoes were found near the Przhe River, suggesting she might have fallen into the water.
The child has been missing since 6:00 a.m. Friday. Her family, visiting from the Kirkuk governorate, had traveled to the Choman district.
Authorities have urged citizens and tourists to be vigilant with their children during outings, especially near rivers, and to avoid swimming to ensure their safety.
This incident follows another tragedy on Thursday when a 13-year-old boy drowned in the Nawpirdan River in Choman. The boy, accompanied by his father, attempted to cross the river but fell in. While the father was rescued, the boy was swept away by the current and had been in the water for approximately 20 hours before his body was recovered by rescue teams.
The Kurdistan Region’s Civil Defense Directorate reports that 26 people have drowned in the last five months. Last year saw over 100 drownings, with civil defense teams rescuing nearly 70 individuals. This marks an increase from the previous year, which recorded 77 drownings.
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