Family Drowns in Shoreham-by-Sea Tragedy
British-Palestinian family from London suffers devastating loss; younger daughter remains in critical condition.
Sarah Connor
Three members of a British-Palestinian family drowned while swimming in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.
Eyewitnesses claim a fishing net entangled one of the girls. Joe Chrisp reported a local fisherman's account that one of the children was caught in a net.
The family, understood to have travelled from London, entered the water near Shoreham Fort around 2pm on Tuesday.
Sea conditions were choppy at the time of the incident. Joss Loader claims people swim from those beaches even in winter.
Hassan El-Khawas had been a refugee in the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon, a detail also claimed by the Palestinian embassy in London and the Palestinian Forum.
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, located in the London borough of Ealing, expressed profound sorrow, stating: "Sara was a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students and she will be greatly missed."
Sara was a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students and she will be greatly missed.
Rachel Kruger added: "We are deeply saddened by this, and our thoughts are with her family, friends and all those affected."
Floral tributes have since been left near Kingston Beach in Shoreham, as James Collis described the events as "a heartbreaking tragedy."
a heartbreaking tragedy.
Rachel Kruger confirmed the school's immediate focus is "on supporting staff and students who have been affected by this."