Sisters Who Could Not Swim Drowned While Paddling in Snowdonia, Inquest Hears

Published: March 5, 2026
The English Chronicle Desk
The English Chronicle Online

Two sisters who could not swim tragically drowned after entering a river pool while fully clothed at a popular beauty spot in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, an inquest has concluded, underscoring the risks of open water even for those only intending to paddle. The assistant coroner said their deaths were accidental and highlighted the danger posed by slippery rocks and deep mountain pools.

Hajra Zahid, 29, and her sister Haleema Zahid, 25, both university students originally from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, were visiting the Watkin Path area near Afon Cwm Llan with three male friends on a warm day in June last year. The group separated for privacy and, for religious reasons, the sisters headed upstream toward a pool near a waterfall without entering deep water deliberately, prosecutors at Caernarfon Coroner’s Court were told.

When friends later called out for them and found their shoes and personal items at the water’s edge, Hajra was discovered floating face down in the pool. Mountain rescue volunteers recovered Haleema from deeper water near the waterfall. Both women were declared dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

Assistant Coroner Sarah Riley said evidence showed the sisters intended only to paddle and did not plan to go into deeper parts of the pool where they could not stand. Because neither could swim and both were fully clothed, they became unable to get out of the water once they slipped or fell in, the coroner concluded. She described the slab of rock near the edge as “exceptionally slippery,” noting rescuers had also lost their footing entering the water in the recovery attempt.

The inquest heard that on the day of the incident, air temperatures exceeded 30 °C, while the mountain stream pools remained extremely cold — a contrast that can impair physical response and contribute to shock or disorientation near open water.

In statements read during the hearing, Hajra’s husband described her as a determined and ambitious woman who valued education and family, and said her memory will live on with loved ones. A friend of Haleema similarly emphasised her loving nature and the esteem in which she was held by those close to her.

The coroner offered her condolences to the family and urged caution to the public about the hazards of entering natural pools in rural and mountain areas, especially when swimming ability is limited and there are hidden risks such as deep water or unstable rock surfaces.

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