Palestinian refugee family who died after incident in sea off Sussex are named

19 Aug 2026 • 11:11 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Palestinian refugee family who died after incident in sea off Sussex are named

  • Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara El-Khawas have been named as the three family members who tragically died after getting into difficulty while swimming near Shoreham Fort in West Sussex.
  • A fourth swimmer, a young female family member, was rescued from the water and remains in hospital in a critical condition following the incident on Tuesday afternoon.
  • Sussex Police stated that an initial investigation and review of CCTV footage suggest the deaths were a tragic accident with no third-party involvement, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
  • The Palestinian embassy confirmed that London resident Mr El-Khawas was a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon, offering its condolences to the family and community.
  • Prime minister Andy Burnham praised the swift action of emergency services and urged the public to remain vigilant regarding the hidden dangers of open water swimming.

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