Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Two teenage sisters drown after going swimming at Coney Island beach

Aisha Mohammed, 18, and Zainab Mohammed, 17, were seen entering the water and disappearing from view

Rachel Sharp
Saturday 06 July 2024 22:31 BST
Comments
Two teenager sisters have died while swimming at New York’s Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn (stock image of Coney Island)
Two teenager sisters have died while swimming at New York’s Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn (stock image of Coney Island) (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.

Head shot of Louise Thomas

Louise Thomas

Editor

Two teenager sisters have died while swimming at New York’s Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn over July 4 weekend.

Aisha Mohammed, 18, and Zainab Mohammed, 17, of the Bronx, were reported missing on Friday night in the area of Stillwell Avenue and Boardwalk West after they were seen entering the water and disappearing from view, the NYPD said.

Witnesses told WABC-TV that a rain storm began and most people at the beach took shelter, but the two young women went into the rough ocean water.

A man tried to stop them but he couldn’t swim either, one witness said.

It is unclear if the man knew the victims.

Police said that an emergency call for a water rescue came in at around 8.10pm.

Officers arrived on the scene with emergency responders from the department’s aviation, harbor, scuba units conducting a search to find the teens.

Divers eventually pulled both the young women from the water, police said.

They were both transported to NYC Health and Hospitals/Coney Island where they were pronounced dead.

The investigation into the tragedy continues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in