Inquest Concludes Sisters' Drowning at Snowdonia Beauty Spot Was Accidental

Two sisters drowned accidentally while paddling fully clothed at a beauty spot in Snowdonia, an inquest has concluded. Hajra Zahid, 29, and her sister Haleema Zahid, 25, were found unresponsive in the Watkin Pools on the Afon Cwm Llan river on June 11, 2025.

The sisters, who could not swim, had visited the picturesque wild swimming site with three male friends. The group split up for privacy and religious reasons as the sisters headed for a pool upstream. When the men later called out for the sisters, they received no reply and found their shoes and personal belongings by the water’s edge.

Hajra was discovered floating face down in her red dress and was pulled onto the riverbank, but Haleema was not immediately found. Emergency services were called, and members of the Llanberis mountain rescue team retrieved Haleema from deep water near a waterfall. Both women were pronounced dead at the scene.

Assistant coroner Sarah Riley concluded that the sisters intended to paddle in the water but likely slipped into deeper parts of the pool. She emphasized that neither sister had intended to swim or enter areas beyond their depth. The coroner urged caution about the dangers of entering such pools and extended condolences to the family.

The sisters, originally from Pakistan, had moved to the UK in January 2025 to study for master’s degrees in international business at the University of Chester. Tributes described Hajra as a determined and ambitious woman who believed in education and personal growth, while Haleema was remembered as compassionate, hardworking, and kind.