Saja El-Khawas, six, has died in hospital after she was pulled from the sea at Shoreham on Tuesday. She was pulled out of the water alongside three of her family members who also died. Saja had been in a critical condition in hospital after the deaths of Sara El-Khawas, 14, and her parents Hassan El-Khawas, 55, and Zeina Alayn, 37, on Tuesday afternoon in Shoreham-by-Sea.
Family Tragedy Confirmed
Her death has been confirmed via a legal notice from solicitors acting on behalf of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as well as by the Palestinian Forum in Britain. The Palestinian embassy previously said Mr El-Khawas was a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon.
It is believed the family travelled from their home in London to visit Shoreham and entered the water from the beach near Shoreham Fort at around 2pm before they got into difficulty. Due to strong currents, Sara became caught in a fishing net. Her father tried to free her, prompting her mother to enter the water when he, too, started struggling. She was followed by Saja.
Emergency Response and Investigation
The Palestinian Forum in Britain explained earlier this week that, sadly, the conditions proved ‘overwhelming’, leading to their deaths. A huge emergency response was triggered by the incident, with several ambulances and two air ambulances sent to the scene. An HM Coastguard helicopter and rescue teams from nearby Littlehampton, Newhaven and Shoreham, as well as the RNLI lifeboat, also attended.
On Wednesday, Sussex Police said their 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. 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.’
Tributes and Community Response
Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, which Sara attended, posted a tribute on its website. The school in Ealing said of the Year 8 pupil: ‘Sara was a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students, and she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with her family, friends, and all those affected.’
Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, had also previously said the community was ‘deeply shocked and saddened’ by the deaths. ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family, particularly the children, who are facing an unimaginable loss,’ he said. The community had been praying for Saja’s recovery.
