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Family drowning incidents on English coasts

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2026-08-21 21:17 UTC → 2026-08-22 10:56 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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.

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