On a warm August afternoon, a London family sought the simple pleasure of the sea and did not return. Hassan El-Khawas, his wife Zeina Alayn, and their teenage daughter Sara drowned near Shoreham Fort, leaving behind a community in grief and a nation confronting the quiet dangers of open water. Their deaths — accidental, sudden, and devastating — join a troubling pattern of summer tragedies along England's southern coastline, where the warmth of the day can mask the cold indifference of the sea.
Family of three dies in Shoreham swimming tragedy; young sister critical
Three family members died by drowning: Hassan El-Khawas (55), Zeina Alayn (37), and Sara El-Khawas (14); a fourth family member remains hospitalized in critical condition.
The sea will never be completely safe
Mark
What was it about that particular stretch of water that made it dangerous that day?
Mimi
We don't know yet—the police haven't said the conditions were unusual. It was warm, it was August, it felt like a good day to swim. That's part of what makes it so shocking. The water can be cold even when the air is hot, and that shock can disable you quickly. But there's no indication anything was obviously wrong.
Mark
The Prime Minister mentioned the cold water shock. Is that what he thinks happened here?
Mimi
He was speaking generally about the dangers of open water swimming, using this tragedy as a moment to remind people. Whether cold water shock was the specific cause here—we won't know until the coroner's investigation concludes. But it's a real phenomenon, and it kills people who think they're strong swimmers.
Mark
Why does this keep happening on the Sussex coast?
Mimi
It's not clear that it's happening more than before, or that Sussex is uniquely dangerous. What we're seeing is a pattern across the summer—multiple families, multiple incidents, all in a short span of time. Some of it may be seasonal: more people at the coast in warm weather, more swimming, more risk. Some of it may be that we're noticing it more.
Mark
The family traveled from London specifically for this. They weren't locals.
Mimi
No. They came from London to visit Shoreham. They were British citizens of Palestinian origin. It was meant to be a day out. Two of their children stayed on the shore. The randomness of it—that some survived and some didn't, that they happened to be at that particular beach on that particular day—is part of what's haunting the community.
Mark
What happens to the daughter in the hospital now?
Mimi
She's in critical condition. The embassy and the community are hoping for her recovery, but we don't know her prognosis. If she survives, she'll have lost her parents and her sister in a single afternoon. The trauma of that will be lifelong.
Mark
Has anyone said what they should have done differently?
Mimi
Not yet. The police found no third-party involvement, no negligence. It was ruled an accident. Sometimes there is no one to blame, no mistake to identify. That's perhaps the hardest kind of tragedy to bear.
Le Pouls
- Three members of a single family — a father, mother, and 14-year-old daughter — drowned within minutes of entering the water near Shoreham Fort on a Tuesday afternoon in August.
- A fourth family member, a younger daughter, was pulled from the sea and remains hospitalized in critical condition, while two other children watched from the shore.
- Coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, air ambulances, and paramedics responded swiftly after the alarm was raised just before 3pm, but could not reverse what the sea had already taken.
- Police reviewed CCTV footage and witness accounts, ruling the deaths a tragic accident with no third-party involvement, as the community of Shoreham reeled from its most devastating incident in living memory.
- The tragedy is not singular — at least six other people have drowned along Sussex and Essex coastlines this summer alone, prompting public warnings about the hidden dangers of open-water swimming during heat waves.
On a warm August afternoon, a London family sought the simple pleasure of the sea and did not return. Hassan El-Khawas, his wife Zeina Alayn, and their teenage daughter Sara drowned near Shoreham Fort, leaving behind a community in grief and a nation confronting the quiet dangers of open water. Their deaths — accidental, sudden, and devastating — join a troubling pattern of summer tragedies along England's southern coastline, where the warmth of the day can mask the cold indifference of the sea.
On a warm Tuesday in August, a family from London made the short journey to Shoreham beach. Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his wife Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara waded into the water near Shoreham Fort. Within minutes, all three were in difficulty. Emergency services arrived quickly after the alarm was raised shortly before three o'clock — coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, air ambulances, police, and paramedics — but the sea proved unforgiving. All three died. A younger daughter was pulled from the water alongside them and remains in hospital in critical condition. Two other children from the family had been on the shore and witnessed everything.
The family were British citizens of Palestinian origin, with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon. Police reviewed CCTV footage and spoke with witnesses, concluding the deaths were a tragic accident with no third-party involvement. The news moved quickly through Shoreham. Flowers were laid near the beach. The Good Shepherd church opened its doors for reflection. Local councillor Robina Baine, who has lived in the area for 46 years, called it the most tragic incident she had ever witnessed there.
The Prime Minister used the moment to warn the public about open-water swimming, particularly during heat waves — noting that cold water beneath a warm surface can shock the body in ways that prove fatal. His words landed against a grim backdrop: this summer alone, three sisters drowned off Brighton in May, two men were pulled from the sea at West Wittering in July, an 18-year-old died at Camber Sands earlier in August, and a mother and daughter lost their lives at West Mersea in Essex while trying to help a child. The pattern is stark and recurring.
"The sea will never be completely safe," said Julia Watts, chair of Adur District Council. "For people to lose their lives on a warm day in August seems unfathomable." A file is being prepared for the coroner. The younger daughter in hospital continues to fight for her life, and a family that set out for a day of joy now carries an unimaginable loss.
On a warm Tuesday afternoon in August, a family from London made the short journey to Shoreham beach for a swim. Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his wife Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara entered the water near Shoreham Fort. Within minutes, all three were in trouble. Emergency services—coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, air ambulances, police, and paramedics—arrived quickly after the alarm was raised shortly before three o'clock. But the sea that day proved unforgiving. All three died. A younger daughter from the family was pulled from the water alongside them and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
The family were British citizens of Palestinian origin, with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon. Hassan El-Khawas had been a refugee. When police reviewed CCTV footage and spoke with witnesses, they concluded the deaths were a tragic accident with no involvement from any third party. Two other children from the family had been on the shore at the time and watched the scene unfold.
The news rippled through Shoreham, a small coastal town unaccustomed to such loss. Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said the community was "deeply shocked and saddened." Local shop owner Neha Patel said she was still shaking. Friends who laid flowers near the beach spoke of the randomness of it—their own children had been there the night before. The Good Shepherd church, close to where the tragedy occurred, opened its doors for reflection and prayer. Robina Baine, a councillor who has lived in the area for 46 years, called it the most tragic incident she had witnessed in that time.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham used the incident to warn the public about the dangers of open water swimming, particularly during heat waves. "The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, it can shock people," he said, noting that such shock can trigger the very difficulties that claimed this family. He praised the emergency services for their swift response, acknowledging they had endured a busy summer.
The deaths are not isolated. In May, three sisters—Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31—drowned off Brighton. In July, two men were pulled from the sea at West Wittering; one died at the scene. Earlier this month, an 18-year-old man died after getting into difficulty at Camber Sands, having traveled to the coast from London with friends. In Essex, Shelina Rahman, 41, and her 15-year-old daughter Sameeha died in the water at West Mersea while attempting to help a seven-year-old boy. The pattern is stark: summer, warm weather, families and friends seeking relief in the sea, and tragedy striking without warning.
Julia Watts, chair of Adur District Council, reflected on the incomprehensibility of it all. "The sea will never be completely safe," she said. "For people to lose their lives on a warm day in August seems unfathomable." Police inquiries continue. A file is being prepared for the coroner. The younger daughter in the hospital fights for her life, and a family that traveled to the coast for a day of joy now faces an unimaginable loss.
Citations marquantes
The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, it can shock people and that can cause the difficulties.— Prime Minister Andy Burnham
I have been here for 46 years and this is the most tragic incident there has been.— Robina Baine, Adur councillor
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