Body of missing Samawah man recovered from Tigris River after 15 days

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karkh Police Command announced the recovery of the body of Hussein Basim Al-Jiyashi from the Tigris River, more than 15 days after he drowned. Authorities confirmed that his family identified the body.

Al-Jiyashi, a young man from Samawah, had traveled to Baghdad seeking work. He drowned while swimming in the Tigris with friends after finishing a work shift near the river. Rescue teams were unable to recover his body until now.

With rising summer temperatures, many Iraqis turn to rivers and dams to escape the heat, but such outings frequently end in tragedy. Drowning incidents are common, particularly among young people with little swimming experience who underestimate the power of river currents and deep water.

On August 18, authorities in Salah al-Din Governorate issued a warning and banned swimming in large sections of the Tigris River following a rise in drowning cases. Police urged residents to avoid swimming in the river, especially in marked danger zones.