Two Nigerian sisters, Aisha Mohammed, aged 18, and Zainab Mohammed, aged 17, tragically drowned while swimming at Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn, New York.
They were from the Bronx. The incident occurred near Stillwell Avenue and Boardwalk West on the evening of Friday, July 5.
Despite a downpour prompting many beachgoers to seek shelter, the sisters ventured into the rough ocean around 8:00 a.m. that morning.
A man who was unable to swim attempted to prevent them from entering the water, though it’s unclear if he knew the victims.
The sisters had been accompanied by six of their cousins that day. Emergency personnel, including units from the NYPD’s scuba, aviation, and harbor teams, responded to the water rescue call at approximately 8:10 p.m.
Both sisters were recovered from the water about an hour later and transported to Coney Island and NYC Health and Hospitals, where they were pronounced deceased.
The incident is under investigation. The funeral service for Aisha and Zainab Mohammed began at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9, at Yankasa Masjid Mosque.
