Canberra, Sep 8 (IANS): The search for a Pakistani sailor, who was aboard a navy vessel and is believed to have jumped off in Australia's Darwin Harbour, continued Monday.

The sailor went missing from Pakistan Navy ship PNS Nasr Sunday morning, ABC reported.

According to officials, police were alerted about the incident by the Australia Navy Sunday evening.

"A backpack was found in water which would indicate that the person leaving the ship did know what he was doing at the time and did not simply fall off the ship," a police official said.

He said the sailor was spotted on the mainland in a fairly remote area.

He said the area from where the sailor swam through to get to the mainland was known as a crocodile habitat.

"It is a fairly bushy, low scrub type," the official said.

Police are using dogs to find the sailor, and are being helped by an Australian Navy helicopter.

The naval vessels were taking part in Exercise Kakadu - Australia's largest maritime exercise with 15 nations from the Asia Pacific region taking part this year.

Defence adviser to the Pakistan High Commission in Canberra Muhammad Asghar said it was too early to say whether the sailor had fallen into the water or jumped, but either way the Pakistan government wanted the man returned as soon as possible.

He would likely face disciplinary action from the Pakistan Navy for "absenting from a place of duty", and if found guilty could face criminal charges and be booted out from the navy, Asghar said.