A close-knit Indian community in Sydney is mourning the deaths of two mothers who were swept off rocks and drowned while enjoying a picnic with their young families.
Indian nationals Marwa Hashim and Nirsha Haris have been identified as victims of the tragedy, after the couple were swept from the edge of the rock face into the ocean, at Cape Solander, a viewing point at Kurnell in Sydney’s south, around 4:30 pm on Monday. .
Ms Hashim, 35, and Ms Haris, 38, were among a group of five walking along a rock platform, when a “strange wave” hit them and swept them out to sea.
Marwa’s sister Roshna Hashim was also swept away, but she managed to climb onto the rocks and was helped to the shore by passers-by.
Marwa and Nirsha were not only best friends, but they were also mothers.
Ms Hashim arrived in Australia in 2017 to work as an architect, but in recent years has worked as a senior planner with Transport for NSW.
Her friend Ms Haris previously worked in public relations, Nine News reported.
Marwa Hashim (pictured right) and Nirsha Haris (pictured left) have been identified as the victims of the horrific incident that occurred at Cape Solander, a lookout at Kurnell in Sydney’s south, on Monday.
Mrs Hashim’s sister Roshna suffered minor injuries and was treated for hypothermia.
She was taken to St George’s Hospital, where she remains in a stable condition.
Two other bystanders were also treated for hypothermia.
The Sydney Malaylee Association confirmed the deaths of the two women in a heartbreaking Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon.
The Malayalee are an ethnic group originating from Kerala, a state in southern India.
“The Sydney Malayalee community is saddened by the horrific and sudden death of two of our members, Marwa Hashim and Nirsha Haris,” the post read.
“The Sydney Malayalee Association offers our deepest condolences to the bereaved families.”
Friends have urged the Australian government to help with visas so their families in India can travel there to attend their funerals.
The Sydney Malayalee Association confirmed the deaths of the two women in a heartbreaking social media post on Tuesday. Nirsha Haris appears in the photo.
Nirsha’s best friend Marwa Hashim (pictured) also drowned in the long weekend tragedy.
Emergency services, including paramedics and police, attended the scene and launched a large-scale search and rescue operation.
Three rescue helicopters were searching for the duo before paramedics arrived.
The two women were pulled from the water unconscious, but could not be revived, despite the best efforts of the emergency services.
Viewer Rabih Yassinne has been hailed as a hero after he helped pull Roshna out of the water after Marwa’s husband approached her for help.
“He came to me to say please help, (he said) please, there are people drowning there,” Yashinne told Nine News.
‘I took it out, it was very, very difficult because the wave was very strong.
“We managed to get her out and she was unconscious.”
NSW Police Marine Area Command Superintendent Joe McNulty expressed his deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the two women.
“They went down there with good intentions to enjoy a holiday on the best coast in New South Wales, walked down onto a wet, slippery rock shelf and ended up being swept away by a freak wave,” Superintendent McNulty said.
He said large waves often crash against rocks and the water exerts a lot of pressure, which can be dangerous for people visiting the popular viewpoint.
“When a wave hits that (rock platform), the wave kicks up and has a significant amount of additional force that would knock those people over and drag them back into the water,” he said.
Emergency services attended the scene to begin a search and rescue operation. In the photo, passers-by comfort each other after two women drowned.
He warned people visiting the beach, especially those who don’t feel confident swimmers, to stay close to the water’s edge and keep their distance if they want to catch a glimpse of the waves.
‘Never turn your back on the ocean. Always be prepared when you visit any rock platform, any beach, any place where there are big waves, you have to be careful,’ he said.
Cape Solander is a popular place to see humpback whales, which swim close to shore during the winter months.
A crime scene was set up in the area on Monday afternoon as police launched an investigation.
“No suspicious circumstances have been identified at this time,” a statement read.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.