Three members of a family died after getting into difficulty while swimming off the coast of Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, while a young girl remains in critical condition in hospital, police said.Emergency services were called at around 2.40pm on Tuesday after reports of four people in difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort, Sussex Police said.All four were brought ashore, but a man, a woman and a teenage girl were pronounced dead despite efforts by paramedics.Sussex Police said all four were from the same family and that their next of kin had been informed. The Coastguard also confirmed that it was not searching for anyone else.
Father identified as Palestinian refugee
The man who died was later identified as Hossam El-Khawwas, a Palestinian refugee who had come to the UK from the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon, the Palestinian Embassy in London confirmed to the BBC.His wife, Zeina Alyan, and their teenage daughter, Sarah, also died in the incident. Their younger daughter, Saja, remains in critical condition in hospital.The family had reportedly been camping near the harbour front in Shoreham before going into the water for a swim.Eyewitnesses claimed one of the children may have become caught in a fishing net, although police have not confirmed the circumstances.The Palestinian Forum in Britain paid tribute to the family and called for prayers for the surviving child.
What police said about the incident
Chief Superintendent James Collis said all four family members were believed to have entered the water from the land to swim before getting into difficulty.“At around 2.40pm this afternoon, emergency services were called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort,” Collis said.He said Sussex Police officers supported the Coastguard and RNLI as the 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,” he said.A younger girl was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Huge emergency response
The incident triggered a major emergency response, with the RNLI, Coastguard, ambulances and two air ambulances attending the scene.Shoreham RNLI said its lifeboat was called out at around 3pm, while the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex sent both of its helicopters and its critical care team.A local resident described the sea as “incredibly rough” and the winds as “incredibly strong”.The A259 Brighton Road was also closed in both directions between New Road and Kingston Lane during the emergency response.
What Andy Burnham said
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the incident as “a real terrible family tragedy” and expressed his sympathy for the family and the girl who remains in hospital.“It’s so, so sad to hear what happened yesterday,” Burnham said, adding that the government would look in detail at what happened.He also warned people about the dangers of open-water swimming, particularly during periods of extreme heat.“The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, it can shock people, and that can cause difficulties,” he said.Burnham also praised the emergency services for responding quickly and working in difficult circumstances.“There’s more that can be done,” he said when asked whether the government could do more on water safety.
Coastguard not searching for anyone else
Police said all four people believed to have been involved had been accounted for and that the Coastguard had completed an extensive search of the water.Collis thanked the public for their patience during the emergency response and said there was no ongoing search for anyone else.The incident comes amid several water-related deaths in recent months during periods of extreme heat across the UK.