A Perth couple, Dr Mohammad Swapan, 44, and Dr Sabrina Ahmed, 40, tragically drowned while attempting to rescue their youngest daughter from a powerful rip at Conspicuous Cliff Beach, near Walpole in Western Australia, on Saturday.
The family, on a Christmas holiday, was enjoying the remote beach when their daughter was swept into dangerous waters. The couple heroically dived in to save her but became caught in the rip themselves.
Emergency services arrived after receiving reports of three people in distress around 2:40 pm. A 42-year-old man also entered the water to assist the couple, but all three were eventually pulled from the ocean by nearby beachgoers. Despite CPR efforts by police, Dr Swapan and Ms Ahmed could not be revived. The other rescuer was resuscitated and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
Dr Swapan, an associate professor at Curtin University, and Dr Ahmed, a fellow academic, were respected members of Perth’s Bangladeshi community. Tributes have poured in for the couple, with friends and colleagues expressing heartbreak.
The couple’s deaths have left the Bangladeshi community in Perth reeling, with tributes describing them as “deeply respected and loved by all who knew them.”
Ruhul Salim, a close friend, described the loss as devastating:
“Those girls… my heart aches for them. The community will seriously miss this couple.”
Just two months ago, Dr Ahmed celebrated a major milestone, proudly announcing on LinkedIn the completion of her PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Curtin University. In her post, she reflected on the challenges and triumphs of the journey, expressing gratitude to her mentors, colleagues, and family for their unwavering support.
“It was not a smooth journey for me but I really enjoyed exploring different avenues of knowledge. It was full of frustration, excitement but felt accomplished at the end.”
The tragedy highlights the dangers of the treacherous beach, known for its strong currents and unpredictable waves. The area, popular with fishermen but not patrolled by lifesavers, has been flagged as hazardous by local authorities.
This incident adds to a rising national drowning toll, with 26 deaths recorded since the start of December. Recent data shows drowning rates are 20% higher than the five-year average, with beaches accounting for about 20% of cases.
The couple’s daughters, who survived the ordeal, are now in the care of relatives.
Police are preparing a report for the coroner as the community rallies around the couple’s orphaned daughters.
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