Overview

• Abdul Ibrahim Salehe, a trainee at India’s Naval Academy in Ezhimala under a defence cooperation programme, went missing on June 1 while swimming in the monsoon-swollen Kochi backwaters.
• The Indian Navy deployed diving teams and a helicopter in a two-day search operation that concluded with the recovery of his body on June 3.
• The Defence Ministry’s Kochi spokesperson offered condolences and confirmed the cadet’s death was unrelated to his training activities.
• Formalities to repatriate Salehe’s remains to Dar es Salaam are in progress, coordinated by the Indian Navy and the Tanzanian Embassy.
• The incident highlights risks posed by strong undercurrents during the southwest monsoon and underscores close military ties between India and Tanzania.