Three family members who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham have been named by police. Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara El-Khawas are thought to have gone into the water to swim alongside a young female family member near Shoreham Fort in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, on Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency response and hospitalisation
Police, paramedics, coastguard crews and a lifeboat went to the scene where four people were pulled from the water. Three were pronounced dead on Tuesday, while the young girl remains in hospital in a critical condition. It is understood the family travelled from their home in London to visit Shoreham, officers said.
Floral tributes have been left in the area following the tragedy. Sussex Police said its investigation remains open, but after a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts, it is currently thought the deaths were a tragic accident, with no third-party involvement. Sources have said there is currently no evidence to suggest a fishing net was involved.
Family background and official statements
Earlier on Wednesday, the Palestinian embassy said Mr El-Khawas was a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon. Rashidieh Camp is on the Mediterranean coast in southern Lebanon and is one of the most populous Palestinian refugee camps in the country. In a statement on Facebook, the embassy said it was “closely monitoring the incident”. It added: “As the embassy extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to the victims’ family, their loved ones, and members of the Palestinian community in the United Kingdom in this painful affliction, it wishes 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”. He said: “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. 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.”
Investigation and community impact
The family are believed to have entered the water near to the 19th century Shoreham Fort on the harbour. Video footage showed a number of emergency services searching an area of water near to an arm of the harbour where the River Adur meets the sea. Chief Superintendent James Collis 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 thoughts of all at Sussex Police remain with the family’s loved ones as we work with our partners, including HM Coroner, to understand exactly how this incident occurred. The emergency response was significant, and I would like to thank all of the first responders for their determined attempts to save all four people, as well as the wider public for their patience during the incident. We will release further updates as soon as we are able, but we ask the family are given the privacy they deserve at this incredibly difficult time.” The force said it will prepare a file for the coroner ahead of any inquest.
