Six-year-old girl dies in hospital after British-Palestinian family drowns off Sussex Coast

A six-year-old British-Palestinian girl, Saja El-Khawas, has died in hospital three days after she was rescued from the sea off Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, bringing the number of fatalities from the family tragedy to four.

Saja had been in critical condition since she was pulled from the water on Tuesday, August 18. Her death was confirmed on Friday by solicitors acting for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and the Palestinian Forum in Britain.

Her father, Hassan El-Khawas, 55, her mother, Zeina Alayn, 37, and her 14-year-old sister, Sara El-Khawas, died at the scene after the family got into difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort.

The family had travelled from their home in London to the West Sussex coast and entered the water at about 2pm. Emergency services were called at around 2:40pm following reports that four people were in difficulty. Coastguard teams, RNLI lifeboat crews, police and ambulance services took part in the rescue operation.

Sussex Police said their investigation remains open, but a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts indicates that the incident was a tragic accident with no evidence of third-party involvement.

Chief Superintendent James Collis expressed condolences to the family and said the tragedy had deeply affected relatives, emergency responders and the wider Shoreham community. A file will be prepared for the coroner ahead of an inquest.

Authorities have not confirmed reports about specific causes of the family’s difficulties in the water, and police have said there is currently no evidence to suggest that a fishing net was involved.

The Palestinian Embassy in the UK said Hassan El-Khawas was originally from the Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. The family was living in London and held British citizenship.

News of the deaths has prompted an outpouring of grief from Britain’s Palestinian and wider communities.

Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing, west London, where Sara was a Year 8 student, described her as a well-liked pupil and extended condolences to her family and friends.

The deaths have also renewed attention on the dangers of swimming in open water, particularly during periods of warm weather when more people visit Britain’s beaches and waterways.

Sussex Police have asked the public to respect the family’s privacy as relatives mourn the loss of all four members of the family.