Two drownings reported in Kirkuk as boat capsizes during fishing trip

KIRKUK, Iraq — A man in his twenties drowned after his boat capsized while fishing at a water facility in Leylan, east of Kirkuk, a security source said. The source identified the victim as Nihro Ihsan Ali, a father of three daughters, whose body was recovered by river police and sent to the forensic medical authority, where legal procedures have begun. It was the second drowning recorded in Kirkuk on the same day. Earlier, a 22-year-old man disappeared after going on an outing with friends on the Zap River near Altunkopru in the Tuzhurmatu district, north of the city. Search efforts for his body were still underway, according to the source. Authorities have launched an investigation into the Leylan incident. Officials repeated warnings that rising temperatures have drawn more people to rivers and water facilities, urging the public to avoid swimming or fishing from boats not equipped with life-saving equipment.