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Shoreham family drowns
Three members of a Palestinian British family drowned after entering the sea off England’s Sussex coast near Shoreham Fort in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, after going for a swim near the fort.
“Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner, Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter, Sara El-Khawas were all confirmed deceased”
Sussex police said “Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner, Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter, Sara El-Khawas were all confirmed deceased at the scene after being pulled from the water,” while a fourth person was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
The Palestinian embassy in London announced the deaths on Wednesday, a day after the family went for a swim near Shoreham Fort, and police said four people were pulled from the water.
Emergency services including police, paramedics, coastguard crews and a lifeboat were deployed at the scene, and the BBC reported UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned of the dangers of open water swimming after the incident described as “a terrible family tragedy.”
Police, witnesses, and officials
Sussex Police said the family had travelled from their London home to visit Shoreham and, after reviewing CCTV footage, investigators believed the deaths were a tragic accident with no third-party involvement.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said, “At this point, we believe all four entered the water from the land for a swim, and sadly got into difficulty,” and the BBC said coastguards completed an extensive search and were not searching for anyone else.
The BBC described the response as involving coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, air ambulances, police officers and ambulance crews, with a section of the A259 closed, while a BBC reporter said sea conditions were “pretty rough” because of high winds.
In a separate account, the AOL.co.uk report said emergency services were called at about 2.40pm to reports of four people in difficulty in the sea, and it quoted Collis saying “Our thoughts are with the friends and family. I know this incident will have a profound effect on the community.”
Aftermath and what’s next
The deaths triggered tributes and community support in Shoreham, with the BBC reporting people laid floral tributes near the beach where the tragedy unfolded and the Good Shepherd church opened its doors for reflection and prayer.
“deeply shocked and saddened”
The Palestinian Forum said the family were British citizens of Palestinian origin with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon, and Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said the community was “deeply shocked and saddened” by what had happened.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned of the dangers of open water swimming after the incident, describing it as “a terrible family tragedy,” and he said it was a reminder about “the dangers of open water swimming” even when it feels hot outside.
Police said the investigation into the incident remains open and a file would be prepared for the coroner ahead of an inquest, while the BBC reported Deputy Chief Constable Paul Court called the incident “utterly, utterly tragic” and praised the response as “really professionally managed.”