A six-year-old girl has died in hospital following a tragic sea incident off Shoreham-by-sea in West Sussex that claimed the lives of three members of her Palestinian family, including her parents and teenage sister, after they got into difficulty while swimming during a day trip from London.
Saja El-Khawas, six, passed away on Friday evening at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust after fighting for her life in a critical condition for three days, according to a legal notice issued by solicitors acting for the hospital and the Palestinian Forum in Britain.
Her death follows the immediate tragedy on Tuesday afternoon, when emergency services rushed to the West Sussex coast following reports of multiple people struggling in the water. Her older sister, Sara El-Khawas, 14, and their parents, Hassan El-Khawas, 55, and Zeina Alayn, 37, lost their lives in the water off the Sussex coast despite a massive rescue effort.
Emergency Response and the Fatal Currents at Shoreham Fort
The emergency response unfolded swiftly on Tuesday afternoon after fishermen spotted the family struggling in the water near Shoreham Fort. Responding units included rescue teams from Littlehampton, Shoreham, and Newhaven, alongside an HM Coastguard helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat deployed from the station just across the mouth of the River Adur.
Two air ambulances and multiple land ambulances crowded the beach near the RNLI station, while police closed a section of the A259 to accommodate the emergency vehicles. Eyewitness accounts suggested that strong currents and a high tide at 3pm contributed to the danger. Local fishermen and residents noted that the area can harbour deceptive riptides despite its popularity with summer day-trippers.
“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.”
Alan Facer, a fisherman from Hove
Sussex Police confirmed that the investigation remains open, though a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts led to the current hypothesis that the drownings were a tragic accident involving no third-party involvement.
Community Grief and Tributes from London to Lebanon
The family had travelled down from their home in London to visit Shoreham for the day. Neighbours and community organizations have since shared devastating memories of the family.
The Palestinian embassy confirmed that the parents were Palestinian refugees originally from the Rashidieh Camp in southern Lebanon, a densely populated refugee settlement on the Mediterranean coast. Tributes poured in from educational institutions and community leaders alike.
Sara El-Khawas was a Year 8 student at the Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing, which released a heartfelt statement describing her as a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students, and she will be greatly missed
.
“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.”
Chief Superintendent James Collis, Sussex Police
Lasting Impact on the Sussex Coastal Community
Local leaders and residents have expressed deep shock following the catastrophe. Joss Loader, representing the Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association on Adur District Council, emphasized the profound sense of grief felt throughout the area and urged the public to avoid speculation while authorities and the coroner complete their investigations.
Floral tributes and messages of condolence continue to blanket the beach near Shoreham Fort, serving as a solemn reminder of the family’s final visit to the Sussex coast.
