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Friend’s desperate fight to save student who drowned in Thames
Felix Allen24.09.09
A student has told how he tried in vain to save his friend from drowning in the Thames.
Billal Khan made desperate efforts to keep Anwaar Ali Ahmed afloat when he got into difficulties while trying to swim the river.
But Mr Khan, who had already swum across, told an inquest he was too tired and he lost his grip on his panicking friend, who drowned.
Buckinghamshire coroner Richard Hulett heard Anwaar was celebrating his 18th birthday on a day trip out with college friends to Henley Royal Regatta on 4 July when he went for a swim.
He had been visiting a popular beauty spot nearby on the banks of the Thames in Medmenham the day after his birthday and was also celebrating the start of the summer holidays.
The inquest in Amersham heard how the 6ft 1in teenager, from Harrow, stripped down to his boxer shorts and waded into the water shortly after arriving at the river with six friends.
Mr Khan told the inquest: “We were all by the bank and were talking. Anwaar rolled up his jeans and started wading into the water. He said he wanted to swim to the other side. He then took off his jeans and shirt and was just in his boxers but said he didn't want to go by himself.
“I took off my clothes and jumped in the water and started swimming.”
Mr Khan made his way to the other side, claiming the swim was “a lot harder than I thought”, but soon after heard his friend's screams.
“I was very tired as it was a very long length,” he said. “Then everyone started shouting at me to get back into the river as Anwaar was drowning.
“He shouted out my name and then sank down under the water. I reached him and grabbed hold of him and he grabbed my shoulders and tried to get a gasp of breath. I told him to hold on to me and I would swim us across but he was very nervous and panicked.”
He added: “I grabbed one of his arms and I told him to flip his legs but he couldn't and he sank even lower.”
Mr Khan then lost his grip on his friend and was told by a passenger on a nearby boat, who had seen the drama unfold, to get back to the bank.
Police divers found Anwaar's body on the bed of the river more than four hours later.
Anwaar, who was described as an excellent swimmer, had applied to take a computer science course at university.
The day after the tragedy he was due to fly to Pakistan with his younger brother Haseeb to visit his fiancée Sana on a two-month trip that was a birthday gift from his parents.
The coroner said people should take note of the “inherent dangers” of swimming in public waterways. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.
After Anwaar's death, his mother Mehmuda, 35, described him as her best friend. His relatives were too upset to attend the inquest.
