Teen drowns in farm pool in Basra’s Safwan district

BASRA — A 14-year-old boy drowned Wednesday while swimming in a farm pool in Basra’s Safwan district, authorities said.

The incident took place on a private farm in the Al-Risala neighborhood, where the boy had gone with friends for a recreational outing. The pool, meant for agricultural use, lacked safety measures and supervision.

“There was no monitoring or basic rescue equipment at the site, which led to the boy drowning without anyone able to save him,” a security source told 964media.

Police have launched an investigation and issued an arrest warrant for the farm owner on charges of negligence. The boy’s body was transferred to the Basra Forensic Medicine Department.

The case is part of a growing pattern of drownings across Iraq. On Sunday, a 21-year-old man drowned in the Sirwan River in Sulaymaniyah. A day earlier, river police in Wasit recovered the body of a young man who had drowned in Al-Hay district after an eight-hour search.

With summer temperatures rising, rivers and unregulated pools offer relief for many Iraqis — but often at deadly cost. Authorities continue to warn against swimming in unmonitored areas, especially for young people with limited swimming skills.