'Shattered' family of two sisters who drowned in Snowdonia mountain pool call for clarity over 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths

Daily Mail​

11 hours ago

A family 'shattered' by the deaths of two sisters who drowned at a mountain pool have called for clarity over the 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths.
Mother-of-two Hajra Zahid, 29, and younger sister Haleema Zahid, 25, were pulled from the water after a 'challenging' rescue attempt on a notorious path up Snowdon.
The pair had travelled 70 miles to the mountain range to visit the waterfall pools with university friends before the tragedy struck, an inquest opening heard.
The sisters had only moved to the UK four months ago to begin masters degrees in International Business at the University of Chester and had been living in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Their family have been left heartbroken amid claims they have received 'conflicting' accounts over how the women came to their deaths, reports from Pakistan said.
The account given that one sister died trying to save the other does not add up with where the bodies of the two women were found - roughly 10 minutes apart - the family claimed.
'The family is shattered,' a relative told Geo News.
'The police says one sister drowned and the other drowned while trying to save her but the body of one sister was found floating on the surface and the other sister's body was found ten minutes away.
'The witnesses say both entered the water together. The police have not informed us of anything and are not helping the family.'
The women's bodies have been repatriated back to Pakistan.
Coroner Sarah Riley said the women had travelled to the pools at Snowdon's notorious Watkin Path with university friends.
The hearing in Caernarfon was told pathologist Dr Zain Mehdi carried out post mortem examinations and has the provisional cause of death for both sisters as drowning.
Ms Riley said: 'They have entered the water and sadly both died as a result of drowning.'
She said Hajra was declared dead at 10.48pm and Haleema was declared dead at 10.49pm.
'Investigations continue into how they came by their deaths.'
She added: 'I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends and all who knew and loved them.'
The sisters were originally from Rawalpindi in Pakistan but moved to the UK as students at the University of Chester's business school where they were taking on masters degrees in international business.
Dr Bilal Saeed previously worked with Haleema at a telecommunications company in Islamabad, and said she was 'an exceptionally compassionate, hardworking and kind individual'.
He said that she had 'touched the lives of many with her warmth, professionalism and unwavering dedication' before leaving her home country to pursue a masters degree in the UK.
Another friend described her as an 'amazing lady, very lively and energetic, someone you would want in your life'.
University vice chancellor Prof Eunice Simmons said: 'The University of Chester community is in mourning for the tragic loss.
'They touched the lives of many here at Chester - their friends, the cohort on their course and the staff who taught them - and they will be deeply missed.'
Chair of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, Jurgen Dissmann said: 'On behalf of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the two women who sadly lost their lives.
'This was a complex and difficult callout for the team.'
Social media has been blamed for a surge of inexperienced walkers to Snowdonia after four out of five recent deaths in the recent fatalities were women.
The pools where the Hajra and Haleema died had been rated one of the best places in Britain to inspire 'Insta envy' and awash with selfie-takers from miles away.
Rescue teams have previously said a rise in call outs to the mountains known as 'Britain's most dangerous peaks' was down to 'trending social media posts' on Instagram and TikTok.
And the latest tragedy means at least five young people have died in the Snowdonia mountain range this year.
Social media influencer Maria Eftimova, 28, travelled from Greater Manchester to climb Tryfan but fell 65ft when she lost her grip on February 22.
Dr Charlotte Crook, 30, of Birmingham slipped to her death on Glyder Fach on February 16.
Medical student John Aravinth, 20 of Horsham, West Sussex, fell on Snowdon after getting lost on May 26.
The Yr Wyddfa range has upwards of 750,000 visitors a year. It averages eight deaths annually - but five already this year.
A BBC Countryfile guide said: 'While many choose to take the mountain railway most of the way, plenty choose to make the fairly substantial hike - many of whom may not be regular hikers and may not be armed with the right kit or sufficient food.'
It was used by Sir Edmund Hillary and his team as a training ground for their successful Everest climb in 1953.
Snowdon attracts more than 600,000 walkers, climbers and tourists each year with a series of walking trails and a train line leading to the 3,560ft summit.
The eight-mile long Watkin Path, where the tragedy happened, is described as 'one of the steepest and more challenging routes up Snowdon'.
It takes an estimated four to seven hours to complete - with a dip in the water a must-do for many walkers.
However the route is said to pass along 'a series of crystal-blue waterfalls before it quickly ramps up in difficulty after passing Gladstone Rock.
The pools have been described as 'quite possibly the most beautiful wild swimming spot in the whole National Park.'
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gibson of North Wales Police said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families and friends of both women.