Wasit police divers recover safe with 40 million dinars from Tigris River

WASIT — Police divers successfully recovered a metal safe containing 40 million Iraqi dinars (about $27,000) and official documents from the Tigris River in Kut, nearly a month after a man threw it into the river during a family dispute, authorities announced Thursday.

A Wasit police source told 964media that the search began after the man’s father sought help from police.

“On Tuesday, Wasit Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Qasim Al-Fahd met with a citizen who requested assistance in retrieving a safe that his son had thrown into the Tigris River,” the source said. “The police chief immediately instructed the river police unit to assist, and a team of divers was dispatched.”

The man’s son, described by police as ‘mentally unstable’ and in his mid-20s, reportedly tossed the safe into the river near Kut’s Iron Bridge to pressure his father amid an ongoing family argument.

The father reported the incident a month ago, prompting authorities to detain the young man temporarily and initiate diving operations. The search was paused briefly in late February and early March due to cold weather but resumed on direct orders from the police chief.

After several days of continuous diving, police recovered the safe and its contents, including the cash, official documents, and identification papers. The father confirmed that the recovered items matched his missing belongings.

Police have not indicated if further legal action will be taken against the young man.