ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday called on relevant authorities to strengthen safety measures at tourist sites and particularly around large bodies of water, after a tourist fell to her death at a waterfall in Halabja province.

“Regrettably, during this period, drowning incidents and tragedies have been frequent,” Barzani said in a statement, calling on relevant authorities to “strengthen the necessary safety measures and guidelines at tourist sites, particularly near rivers, lakes, and water sources.”

“I also call upon and urge our dear citizens and tourists to follow those guidelines and be mindful of their own safety and that of their families,” the premier added.

The remarks come after Ruqiya Rafid, a 12-year-old girl from Karbala province, was vacationing in Halabja’s Hawraman area with her parents when she fell into the Ahmad Awa waterfall and tragically lost her life earlier in June.

After nine days of intensive search operations, her body was recovered Thursday at 9:20 am at a depth of nearly 60 meters, according to a statement from Halabja’s civil defense directorate.

The case attracted widespread media attention, with a large number of governmental institutions, divers, volunteers, and locals joining the efforts to locate her body. 

Following the recovery, Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih and a number of officials visited Ruqiya’s family and extended their condolences, as part of a farewell ceremony held in Hawraman.

Barzani commended the people of Hawraman and Halabja for their “tireless and extraordinary efforts in recovering the body,” noting that this is “entirely consistent with the humanitarian and giving culture of the people of Kurdistan.”

“I especially commend the Halabja province, the security forces, the civil defense teams, and all the volunteers and individuals who played a role in recovering the body.”

Drowning incidents in the Kurdistan Region’s bodies of water have repeatedly made headlines due to unpredictable currents and waves, as well as the Region’s rugged countryside. Such incidents have increased recently due to the heavy rainfall recorded this spring.