A young girl is in a critical condition in hospital after three members of her family died following an incident in the sea off the West Sussex coast. Emergency services launched a major response at Shoreham-by-Sea on Tuesday afternoon after reports that four people had got into difficulty in the water. The family members are believed to have entered the sea for a swim.
Victims confirmed
Sussex Police confirmed on Tuesday night that a man, a woman, and a teenage girl had died, while a younger girl from the same family remained in a critical condition in hospital. Officers have not yet named the victims, but confirmed that their next of kin had been notified and were receiving support from specialist officers.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said: "At around 2.40pm this afternoon, emergency services were called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort. Sussex Police officers supported His Majesty's Coastguard and the RNLI, as all four people were brought ashore. Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people – a man, woman and teenage girl – have sadly been confirmed deceased. A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in a critical condition."
Local accounts
A local resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: "I heard from friends in the coastguard that it was a family who had been living in tents by the harbour front. They were camping just between the harbour arm and the fort. They have been there for a couple weeks, I've walked my dog past them. People don't usually camp there."
Alan Facer, a fisherman from Hove, told the newspaper: "The wind earlier was south-westerly so usually the waves pick up quite a bit. At 3pm, the tide would have been quite high. I was thinking the other day that someone is going to get hurt around here." The 41-year-old added: "Maybe with the lifeboats nearby they feel safe."
Emergency response and aftermath
The RNLI's Shoreham lifeboat station sits directly opposite Shoreham Fort, across the mouth of the River Adur. Multiple ambulances attended the scene on Tuesday, alongside two air ambulances, an HM Coastguard helicopter and rescue crews from Littlehampton, Newhaven and Shoreham, plus the RNLI lifeboat. Police confirmed the coastguard has completed its search of the water and is not seeking anyone else.
Tom Rutland, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said the Shoreham community "will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl". In a Facebook statement, he wrote: "I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that three people have died following an incident in the water near Shoreham Fort this afternoon. My thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives, and I know the whole community here in Shoreham will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl receiving medical treatment in hospital."
