The family who drowned off a beach in Sussex were a Palestinian refugee, his wife and daughter, it has emerged.
Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and their teenage daughter Sara, 14, all drowned while swimming in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, at around 3pm yesterday while sea conditions were choppy.
Their younger daughter, Saja, remains in hospital in critical condition.
The Palestinian Embassy confirmed Mr El-Khawas was a Palestinian who came to the UK from Rashidieh Camp in southern Lebanon. The camp is on the Mediterranean coast and is one of the most populous Palestinian refugee camps in the country.
The family had travelled down from their home in northwest London to visit Shoreham for the day, it is understood.
They lived in a first floor, two-bedroom council flat, with neighbours describing them as a ‘warm, close family’.
Sam, who lives on the ground floor of the building, said the family had lived there for 10 years and spoke little about their life before coming to the UK.
‘Hassan was a lovely man and I often saw him in the shared garden we have. I saw him a couple of days ago and he said they were going down to the seaside for a day trip,’ he said.
‘They’ve been in the flat for quite a few years and two of they youngest kids were born since they’ve been living there. They were a warm, close family and what’s happened is devastating.’
Sara El-Khawas, a teenager, died in the water tragedy in Shoreham-by-Sea yesterday afternoon
Zeina Alayn died alongside her husband and eldest daughter, while her younger child remains in critical condition
Hassan El-Khawas also died alongside his wife and eldest daughter. The Palestinian Embassy confirmed he was a Palestinian
The family lived in a first floor, two-bedroom council flat in northwest London (pictured)
Ahmed, another neighbour, said: ‘All I know is that they were in a refugee camp before coming to the UK which was more than 10 years ago. Hassam worked as a builder and was a down to earth guy who was always smiling and friendly.’
Eyewitnesses claimed one of the girls got tangled in a fishing net, sparking the tragedy. A fisherman pulled one of the children out before raising the alarm.
Joe Chrisp, 24, said: ‘One of the local fishermen said it was two adults, two kids.
‘One of the kids apparently got caught in a fishing net.’
The investigation into the incident remains open, but police believe it was a tragic accident with no third-party involvement.
In a tribute to the family today, the Palestinian Forum in Britain mourned their passing.
‘With hearts believing in God’s decree, the Palestinian Forum in Britain mourns Mr Hossam El-Khawas, his virtuous wife, and their daughter – from the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon – following their drowning in the Sussex area,’ it said.
‘We pray for the recovery of their second daughter, who was transferred to the hospital.’
The forum added: ‘We also request help in reaching out to the family (for those who know them) so we can fulfill our collective duty together. May God bestow His vast mercy upon them, welcome them into His spacious gardens, and grant their loved ones patience and solace. Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return.’
Footage that emerged this afternoon shows a lifeboat being rocked by heavy waves as it carried out a search operation to find the family – with ambulances and two helicopters also at the scene.
Andy Burnham sent his ‘best wishes and love’ to the relatives and friends of the girl fighting for her life – and reminded people of the ‘dangers of open water swimming’.
Asked during a visit to the North East if the Government needed to do more to tackle water safety, the Prime Minister replied: ‘Always. It’s so sad to hear what happened yesterday, and obviously we think there’s a young girl still in the hospital fighting for her life, and we send our best wishes and love to wider friends and family.
‘The thing I can say today, and there is still, I think, a further heatwave to come in this summer period, is just to remind people about the dangers of open water swimming.
‘The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, can shock people, and that can cause the difficulties. So people just need to remember that at all times.’
Mr Burnham added: ‘I do need to praise the emergency services, who I know were on scene very quickly yesterday. They’ve had a busy summer, but they were there, and we thank them. As I say, just huge sympathy to the friends and the family.’
Chief Superintendent James Collis confirmed at a press conference last night that the coastguard is not searching for anyone else.
Sussex Police said: ‘Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people, a man, a woman, and a teenage girl, were sadly confirmed deceased.
‘A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in critical condition. We can confirm, all four people were from the same family, and their next of kin have been informed.
‘Specialist officers are supporting them at this incredibly difficult time, and our thoughts are with their family and friends.’
Eight ambulances attended the scene after the family got into difficulty in the water
Footage shows a lifeboat battling heavy seas during a desperate search for the family
Floral tributes and a lantern left at the scene after the tragedy yesterday
A woman leaves a bunch of flowers at the scene after a couple and their daughter died
Two air ambulances were seen landing on the shore after the incident
Police and ambulances rushed to the scene in West Sussex shortly after 3pmAn investigation was launched to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
‘At this point, we believe all four entered the water from the land for a swim, and sadly, got into difficulty,’ the force added.
Pictures from the Shoreham seaside showed a huge emergency service response to the incident as eight ambulances parked on the shore beside helicopters.
They remained at the scene, around a 20-minute drive from Brighton, for hours after their 3pm arrival. A police cordon was eventually removed shortly before 9pm.
Road closures had been put in place nearby with the A259 Brighton Road, which runs alongside the beach, blocked in both directions from New Road to Kingston Lane.
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘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 a couple of weeks, I’ve walked my dog past them. People don’t usually camp there.’
Joss Loader, who lives nearby and represents Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association on Adur District Council, said: ‘There’s just a really strong sense of shock, obviously people are really concerned for the young girl.
‘A small tightly knit community with a very deep sense of shock and that sense of disbelief you get after a tragedy because it has come out of nowhere.
‘It’s school holidays and we have had a wonderful summer so the beaches have been packed with families.
‘People swim from those beaches even in the winter, generally it is considered as safe as the sea can be. You wouldn’t be swimming there and think you were taking a risk.’
Anna Peacock, 81, who lives near Kingston Beach across the water from Shoreham Fort, said emergency services were on the scene very quickly.
Witnesses said that fishermen first reported that four people had got into difficulty in the water
Police were seen searching a car nearby after the incident
Chief Superintendent James Collis said the family had entered the water for a swim
‘It was terribly sad to know that just across the road people have lost their lives,’ she said. ‘People come down to swim, particularly in the summertime and I don’t think they realise there’s a riptide along here.’
Gary and Victoria Flint took their children to the beach for the day. Victoria, from Horsham, said: ‘We arrived at about three and soon after we heard the siren for the lifeboat.
‘We watched it launch then about 20 minutes later, it came back. Ambulances started arriving – more and more of them – then the air ambulances started.’
Another witness told ITV News: ‘I was up near the Coastguard tower when I saw two police officers come past me holding evidence bags after they looked to be going through belongings of, presumably, those who were involved in the incident.’
Alan Facer, 41, a fisherman from Hove, said the water would have been rough when the family got into trouble.
He said: ‘The wind earlier was south-westerly so usually the waves pick up quite a bit. At 3pm, the tide would have been quite high.’
MP for East Worthing and Shoreham Tom Rutland meanwhile described the incident as a ‘tragedy’, adding: ‘I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that three people have died following an incident in the water near Shoreham Fort this afternoon.
‘I spoke earlier with Sussex Police and Shoreham RNLI and have been briefed on the response by the emergency services.
‘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.’
A spokesman from the RNLI said lifeboat crews were launched at around 2.50pm yesterday afternoon.
Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton lifeboat station shortly after 3pm.
The coastguard, meanwhile, said ‘it responded to an incident reported at Shoreham at about 2.45pm’.
They added: ‘An HM Coastguard helicopter was sent as well as Littlehampton, Shoreham and Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Teams, and an RNLI lifeboat from Shoreham.’
