Three family members die in sea off Shoreham

Three members of the same family have died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex Police said, in what investigators believe was a tragic accident.

Police named them as Hassan El-Khawas, 55, Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara El-Khawas. They are thought to have entered the water near Shoreham Fort on Tuesday after travelling from their home in London to visit the coast. A younger girl from the same family, who was pulled from the water with them, remains in hospital in critical condition.

Emergency services were called shortly before 15:00 BST on Tuesday to reports that four people were in trouble in the water. Coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, air ambulances, police officers and ambulance teams were involved in the response.

Sussex Police said that after reviewing CCTV footage, investigators believe there was no third-party involvement. Inquiries are continuing, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.

Ch Supt James Collis, of Sussex Police, said: “The events of Tuesday afternoon are a heartbreaking tragedy which has devastated a family and their friends and had a profound impact on the Shoreham community.”

The Palestinian Forum in Britain said the family were British citizens of Palestinian origin, with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon. The Palestinian Embassy in London earlier told the BBC that Hassan El-Khawas had been a refugee. Al Jazeera, citing the Press Association news agency, identified the father as Hossam al-Khawas and said he was from Rashidieh Camp in southern Lebanon near Tyre.

Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said the community was “deeply shocked and saddened” by what had happened. He said two other children were on the shore at the time of the incident.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family, particularly the children, who are facing an unimaginable loss,” Hmidan said.

The Palestinian Embassy in London said it was closely monitoring the incident and contacting British authorities to establish the circumstances and check on the condition of the girl in hospital. In a statement, the embassy offered condolences to the family and the UK’s Palestinian community and wished the injured girl a speedy recovery.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned of the dangers of open water swimming after the incident, which he described as “a terrible family tragedy.”

“The thing I can say today — and there is still, I think, a further heatwave to come in this summer period — it is just to remind people about the dangers of open water swimming,” he said. “The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, it can shock people and that can cause the difficulties. So people just need to remember that at all times.”

He also praised emergency responders, saying they were “on scene very quickly.”

In Shoreham, residents left floral tributes near the beach. Local shop owner Neha Patel said she was “still shaking” after hearing what had happened. “I think it’s a shock to everyone around here,” she said. “I hope the one girl in the hospital gets better.”

The Good Shepherd church, close to the beach, opened its doors for reflection and prayer. The Rev Jane Bartlett, associate vicar, said the church wanted to support the community “in whatever way we can.”

Adur District Council chair Julia Watts said the circumstances were not yet known but added: “The sea will never be completely safe.”