# Family drowning incidents on English coasts > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/family-drowning-incidents-on-english-coasts > Updated: 2026-08-21T20:19:30.000Z. Sources: 46. Developments: 3. Separate drowning tragedies involving family members have occurred at different locations along the English coast. In late July, a mother and her 15-year-old daughter died at Mersea Island, Essex, after entering the water during a family outing. A seven-year-old relative was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition. Following the incident, the family requested a safety review of West Mersea Beach, calling for better signage and life-saving equipment. In mid-August, a second incident occurred near Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, where members of a single family died after getting into difficulty in the sea. The deceased have been identified by the Palestinian Embassy in London as 55-year-old Hossam El-Khawwas, a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh camp in Lebanon, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter, Sara El-Khawas. Following the initial incident, the family’s youngest daughter, Saja, who had been rescued from the water and remained in critical condition, has since died in the hospital. The family, who lived in London, had traveled to the coast to visit the beach during a period of extreme heat. Witnesses reported the family had been camping near the harbor front when the incident occurred near Shoreham Fort during rough sea conditions and high winds. While some eyewitnesses suggested a child may have become entangled in a fishing net, authorities noted there is currently no evidence to support this. Sussex Police stated that following a review of CCTV footage and witness accounts, the deaths are currently thought to be a ‘tragic accident with no third-party involvement.’ The investigation remains open. ## Claims - Three family members—a man, a woman, and a teenage girl—died, while a younger girl remains in critical condition in hospital. (corroborated by 11 sources) - All four family members entered the water from the land to swim before getting into difficulty. (corroborated by 8 sources) - Emergency services were alerted to the incident on Tuesday afternoon around 14:40 to 15:00 BST. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The deceased man was Hossam Al-Khawas, a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh camp in Lebanon. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Witnesses suggested one of the children may have become entangled in a fishing net. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Coastguard teams have completed an extensive search and confirmed no other persons are missing. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The A259 road was closed in both directions to facilitate the emergency response. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The current hypothesis is that this was a tragic accident, with no third-party involvement. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Prime Minister Andy Burnham issued a warning regarding the dangers of open water swimming during heatwaves. (corroborated by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-21: Shoreham drowning tragedy claims life of six-year-old girl A six-year-old Palestinian-British girl has died in hospital, bringing the death toll to four after her parents and teenage sister drowned in a tragic accident off the coast of Shoreham, West Sussex. 23 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/shoreham-by-sea-six-year-old-girl-dies-after-family-drowning-incident ### 2026-08-18: Shoreham-by-Sea drowning: Three family members dead Three members of a Palestinian refugee family died and a young girl remains in critical condition after getting into difficulty while swimming off the coast of Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. 29 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sussex-coast-tragedy-claims-lives-of-three-family-members ### 2026-07-27: Shelina Rahman and daughter Sameeha die in Mersea Island beach tragedy Shelina Rahman and daughter Sameeha died in a July 22 drowning at Mersea Island; a 7‑year‑old cousin is critical and a safety review is urged. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/strong-tide-at-mersea-beach-in-essex-kills-mother-and-daughter-leaves-boy-critical --- Cite as: Family drowning incidents on English coasts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/family-drowning-incidents-on-english-coasts