Police confirm the 23-year-old man has been found hiding in a shed and in good health

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A Pakistani sailor alleged to have jumped ship during multilateral navy exercises in Darwin has been found.

The man, 23, went missing from the Pakistan navy ship PNS Nasr at about 4.30am on Sunday and it was initially believed he had fallen overboard while the ship was anchored in Darwin Harbour as part of the biennial Exercise Kakadu.

But police said it became apparent he did not want to be found after they discovered his plastic-wrapped backpack floating on the water near the Cox peninsula and he was spotted by a worker there near Talc Head.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that the man was found hiding in a shed late on Monday night, and was in good health. He is now in the hands of immigration authorities.

Exercise Kakadu, running from 25 August to 12 September, is the navy’s largest maritime warfare exercise. Eight warships and 26 navy and airforce aircraft from the Asia Pacific and Indian ocean region are participating.