Kochi | A foreign naval officer went missing in the Kochi backwaters on Sunday evening, police said.

The missing officer was in Kerala for training at the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, they said.

A defence PRO said it was an incident involving the accidental fall of an “international trainee” into the Ernakulam channel at 5.30 pm.

However, officials did not specify which country he is from. Unofficial information reveals the officer's country of origin was Tanzania.

Fire and Rescue Services and the Indian Navy have commenced a search operation in the area, police said.

In a statement, the defence PRO said that during the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the trainee was on leave in Kochi, en route to his home country.

A search operation has been launched in the area by naval diving teams, the statement added.