A brave teenager from London tragically drowned at a Scottish waterfall while trying to rescue his friend from the rapid currents.
Despite being a strong swimmer, Ali Ahmed, 19, was pulled beneath the water while swimming at Lower Bruar Falls, near Blair Atholl, in Perthshire.
Poplar Coroner’s Court heard how Mr Ali, a part time fast food worker from East Ham in London, had been trying to help a struggling friend before strong currents pulled him into a cave area near the waterfall.
Friends then tried desperately to save him before he disappeared into a deep pool inside the cave and drowned.
His friend, Zein Shivli Khalifa, 19, told the inquest they were with a group of eight others on their first friends’ holiday when the tragedy happened.
Zein said people were jumping into the water when they arrived at the popular swimming spot in the early afternoon.
He told the Evening Standard: “A guy said it’s not that deep but be careful of the current.”
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A group of friends including Zein and Ali jumped into the water, then got out and tried to convince another friend to do the same.
Zein said: “It took a long time trying to convince our other friend to jump in, then he just ran and jumped.
“Ali thought both of us were drowning so he was trying to help us and I think the current pushed him into the cave.”
Coroner Mary Hassell said: “All of the evidence points in the direction Ali was out swimming with his friends, having a good time, and was pulled underwater by a current.
“In spite of very strenuous efforts of his friends to save him, which were very nearly successful, he succumbed to the cold and fatigue of swimming against the current and he was drowned as a consequence.”
She gave the final conclusion Ali’s death was an accident.
