Young man drowns in Wasit as body recovered after 8-hour search

WASIT — River police in Wasit recovered the body of a young man who drowned Saturday morning while swimming in a river in the Al-Hay district. The search lasted more than eight hours, authorities said.

A local source told 964media the victim, identified as Saif Ali Al-Yasiri, was from the center of Al-Hay and had gone swimming near the city bridge with a group of friends.

The drowning was reported around 8 a.m., prompting a search operation involving river police, local fishermen using boats, and volunteer swimmers.

Authorities said the body was found near the site of the reported drowning and transferred to the forensic medicine department.

The case is part of a broader trend of drowning incidents across Iraq. On the first day of Eid Al-Adha, a child was reported missing and presumed drowned in the Great Zab River in the Deraluk subdistrict of Amedi.

As summer temperatures rise, many Iraqis turn to rivers and dams to cool off. But these outings often end in tragedy, especially among youth with limited swimming skills. Authorities have repeatedly warned of the dangers of swimming in unmonitored areas, yet fatal incidents continue to occur each year.