Two sets of siblings die in separate drowning incidents in the Northeast

Two sets of siblings died by drowning in New York and Maine over the weekend.

In the first drowning incident, officers with the New York Police Department responded to a report of a water rescue at a beach in Coney Island, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, on Friday afternoon.

When police got to the scene, they were informed that two female victims, later identified as Aisha and Zainab Mohammed of the Bronx, "disappeared from view," a spokesperson told USA TODAY. This prompted the department's aviation, harbor, and scuba units to conduct a search.

They were able to pull their bodies from the water and transport them to a local hospital where the sisters, ages 17 and 18, were pronounced dead, police said.

An investigation is underway.

"I saw a lot of cops and firemen running towards the situation, and then the next thing you know, the family of the victims they go to the same area but were told to go to the boardwalk," a bystander, Danny Quinones, told CBS News New York. "It's a very tragic event."

According to the outlet, two teenage boys had to be rescued from the beach the next day. They both survived.

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Two teen boys suspected of drowning were found dead in Maine

Police are investigating the deaths of two teenage brothers whose bodies were found in the water at Holdsworth Park in Springvale, Maine, on Sunday night, according to Portsmouth Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The cause of both teens' deaths appear to be drowning, Sanford police Major Matthew Gagne stated in a news release on Monday morning.

“Foul play is not suspected at this time,” Gagne said.

Because the brothers are juveniles, police are not releasing their names.

At around 11 p.m. on Sunday, police received a call reporting the two brothers, both 17, had not returned home for their curfew. The police were told the brothers had gone to Holdsworth Park, known locally as “The Rec,” to swim, according to Gagne.

Members of Sanford’s police and fire departments reported to Holdsworth Park and found the brothers’ vehicle.

“A search of the park and the waterway located the two juveniles in the water, deceased,” Gagne said in the press release.

Located along the Mousam River, Holdsworth Park is a popular destination in Sanford-Springvale. The park has a playground, two covered picnic areas, and a large field in which to lay in the sun, play Frisbee, and enjoy other activities. At its beach, the city has roped off an area where people can swim.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.