Parents' 'Unimaginable' Grief as Daughter, 7, Swept Out to Sea by Rogue Wave
The parents of a seven-year-old girl from Lancashire have shared a devastating update, describing the "most painful and unimaginable time" of their lives, as their daughter remains missing after being swept out to sea by a rogue wave in Morocco nearly a month ago.
Inaayah Makda's Disappearance
Inaayah Makda, from Blackburn in Lancashire, was suddenly dragged into the sea while sitting on coastal rocks near Casablanca on January 29. Her parents, Zubair and Tasneem Makda, were also struck by the rogue wave and ended up in the water, but tragically, they were unable to trace their daughter during the ordeal.
Despite a huge search operation involving numerous volunteers, specialist divers, charities, and Moroccan authorities—including shoreline searches, underwater dive operations, and naval patrols—no one has been able to find Inaayah. The family previously noted that efforts were hindered by a storm and "extremely challenging" conditions.
Heartbreaking Update from Parents
Almost one month later, on February 22, Inaayah's parents published a statement on the Blackburn Muslim Facebook page, expressing their grief and gratitude for the support received. They wrote: "It has now been 25 days since our beloved daughter, Inaayah, went missing at sea in Casablanca, Morocco. This continues to be the most painful and unimaginable time of our lives."
During the blessed month of Ramadan, the family is holding firmly onto their faith, citing a verse from the Qur'an: "Indeed, with hardship comes ease." They added, "We are deeply grateful for the prayers, support and generosity shown to our family."
Ongoing Search Efforts
The parents have organised independent ground search teams, pursued drone search authorisation, and distributed leaflets across coastal areas, with leaflet teams refusing payment—a kindness the family says they will never forget. More than £61,000 has been donated on a GoFundMe page to support independent search teams and essential family expenses while they remain in Casablanca coordinating efforts.
However, donations have since been paused "due to the complex nature of navigating permissions and required resources through the authorities," as stated by the page organiser on January 30. The parents emphasised that without this support, their ability to stay and continue the search would not have been possible.
A Difficult Decision Ahead
In their statement, the devastated parents acknowledged that they "recognise there may come a time when we must take the heartbreaking decision to conclude the physical search and place our trust fully in Allah's decree." They assured that any remaining funds after search efforts are concluded will be used for charitable causes in Inaayah's name, with full transparency in those decisions.
The family continues to seek and engage support through both UK and Moroccan authorities. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office previously said: "We are supporting the family of a British national reported missing in Morocco and are in contact with the local authorities."
As the search persists, the parents ask for continued prayers for Inaayah and their family, holding onto hope amidst this tragic and ongoing ordeal.
