Six-year-old girl dies after family drowning tragedy in Shoreham

The family had travelled from London to Shoreham for a day out.

A six-year-old British-Palestinian girl has died in hospital days after she and her family got into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham in West Sussex, in a tragedy that claimed the lives of her parents and teenage sister. Saja El-Khawas, from London, was pulled from the water by emergency responders on Tuesday and had been in critical condition in hospital. Her father Hassan El-Khawas, 55, mother Zeina Alayn, 37, and 14-year-old sister Sara died despite efforts by paramedics at the scene, the BBC reported.

Family had travelled from London

The family had travelled from London to Shoreham for a day out and entered the water near Shoreham Fort at around 2pm, Sussex Police said. Emergency services were called shortly before 3pm after reports that four people were in difficulty in the sea. HM Coastguard, RNLI lifeboats, Sussex Police and ambulance crews were among those involved in the major rescue operation. Police said a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts indicated that the incident was a tragic accident and that there was no evidence of third-party involvement. A file is being prepared for the coroner ahead of an inquest.

Shoreham community mourns family

Saja's death has left the Shoreham community devastated, with residents leaving flowers at the beach where the tragedy unfolded. Tom Rutland, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said the community had been "hoping and praying" for Saja's recovery and described her death as heartbreaking. The family were British citizens of Palestinian origin with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon, according to the Palestinian Forum. Their extended family had lived in the UK for many years. A community vigil is due to take place at Kingston Beach on Saturday, alongside a one-minute silence in Shoreham town centre. Sussex Police Chief Superintendent James Collis described the incident as a "heartbreaking tragedy", while authorities also warned of the dangers of open-water swimming even during warm weather.