💔 Four Family Members Entered The Sea Together—But Only One Made It To Hospital. Days Later, Six-Year-Old Saja’s Death Turned A Family Beach Trip Into An Unthinkable Tragedy. 🌊
Six lives lost in heart-wrenching Shoreham beach tragedy: Young girl, 6, dies in hospital after family ‘got into difficulty’ in the sea
Shoreham Beach, West Sussex – 3pm on a blazing Tuesday afternoon in August 2026. The sun was beating down on the golden sands, families picnicking, children splashing in the waves, the sea a shimmering invitation to holidaymakers. But in the space of a few frantic minutes, that peaceful scene shattered into one of the most devastating tragedies the South Coast has ever seen.
A 6-year-old girl named Saja El-Khawas was spotted struggling in the surf. Her 14-year-old sister, a Palestinian refugee mother and father jumped in to help – only for all four to be swept out to sea. They were pulled from the water by lifeboat crews and brought back to shore, but the rescue efforts were too late. One by one they died. The youngest girl, Saja, hung on for days in hospital… until today, when she was pronounced dead at 21:05 on Wednesday, 22 August 2026. Her death has now claimed the lives of her entire family – her parents, her sister and herself – in what police are calling “an unexplained” and “unavoidable” tragedy.
The El-Khawas family had travelled from their home in London to enjoy a day at Shoreham, a popular family beach known for its wide sandy stretch and family-friendly vibe. Around 2pm, they entered the water together for a swim, according to Chief Supt James Collis of Sussex Police. What began as a normal family outing ended in horror when one of the children – witnesses later said it may have been the 14-year-old who got tangled in a fishing net – became caught and began to drown.
The rest of the family rushed in to save her. The sea was choppy, the wind strong, and in seconds the group was swept further out. Fishermen on the beach raised the alarm. Within minutes, the Shoreham lifeboat crew, coastguard, eight ambulances and two air ambulances were racing to the scene. Aerial footage shows a massive emergency response: red lights flashing across the beach, helicopters thundering overhead, paramedics working frantically on the sand.
The family were dragged back to shore, CPR started immediately. Horrified onlookers described the scene in stunned silence. Witness Joe Chrisp, 24, said: “One of the local fishermen said it was two adults, two kids.” Another local, Victoria Flint from nearby Horsham, watched from the beach: “We arrived at about three and soon after we heard the siren for the lifeboat… More and more of them. Then the air ambulances started.”
The three adults – 55-year-old Palestinian refugee Hassan El-Khawas, his partner 37-year-old Zeina Alyan, and their teenage daughter Sara El-Khawas – were confirmed dead at the scene. Saja, the youngest, was rushed to hospital in critical condition. For six days she clung to life, her family and the Palestinian Forum in Britain fighting to keep her alive. Today, her death certificate was issued. The four bodies have now been released to the family after an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths.
Chief Supt James Collis addressed the community from the beach itself: “All four entered the water together for a swim before getting into difficulty… Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people… were sadly confirmed deceased.” He confirmed an investigation was under way, but he stressed it was not a rescue gone wrong – it was an unexplained tragedy where the sea claimed them all.
Hassan El-Khawas came from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon, according to the Palestinian Embassy. The family had settled in London and were simply trying to enjoy a day out. Zeina Alyan and the children were the only ones left alive to hold the baby. The Palestinian Forum has stepped in to help the surviving family navigate the grief, arranging legal support and emotional care.
Saja was rushed to hospital after being swept out to sea with her sister and two parents. She was in a critical condition when she arrived, and over the next few days medical teams fought to save her. Her death has left a shattered family behind – siblings, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. A 6-year-old girl who never got to see her first birthday, a teenage sister left without her little sister, and parents who jumped into the sea to save their child but paid the ultimate price themselves.
The beach where it happened is a lifeline for thousands every summer. Shoreham has a proud history of lifesaving – its lifeboat station has pulled hundreds from the water over the decades. But even the best-trained crews could not save four people when the sea turns against them in a moment. Locals are still coming to terms with the horror. Anna Peacock, 81, who lives near Kingston Beach, said: “It’s terribly sad to know that just across the road people have lost their lives… People come down to swim, particularly in the summertime and I don’t think they realise there’s a riptide along here. It’s very inviting to come to the sea, but the tide could carry you out in seconds, and I don’t think people have realised that.”
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, sent his condolences, describing the family’s loss as “heartbreaking”. Sussex Police have urged the public to respect the family’s privacy while the investigation continues. No one knows exactly why the group got into such difficulty so quickly – whether it was a sudden riptide, a strong current, or one child getting tangled in a net – but the message is clear: the sea is powerful, and even families who know how to swim can be swept away.
This is not the first time Shoreham Beach has been the scene of a tragedy. But four lives gone in a single afternoon – three of them parents who gave everything to save their children – is a wound that will take years to heal. The El-Khawas family had hoped for a fun day out. Instead they will bury three people and remember the fourth every time they look at a beach.
The bodies were recovered by lifeboat crews and brought ashore. The three adults died there, right on the sand where families had been playing just minutes earlier. Saja survived long enough to be taken to hospital, but the injuries were too severe. Today, at 21:05, she was pronounced dead. The investigation will look at every detail – the weather, the tide, the nets, the timing. But the pain for the family cannot wait for answers.
In the days since, the beach has been quieter than usual. Lifeguards and volunteers have offered support to anyone who needs it. The lifeboat station, usually buzzing with families waving at the boats, has been silent. Across West Sussex, people are sharing memories of the family they never met but will never forget.
Hassan, Zeina, Sara and little Saja. Four souls taken by the sea in the space of one afternoon. A family torn apart on a day they should have been creating new memories. The youngest girl who never got to grow up, the sister who fought for her, the parents who jumped in without hesitation. Their story is now a stark reminder to everyone who loves the sea: it can take everything in an instant.
The investigation continues. Police are treating the deaths as unexplained and are working closely with the family. But for the El-Khawas family, the words of Chief Supt Collis are the only comfort available right now: the sea took them all, but it did not take their love for each other.
Shoreham Beach will open its doors again tomorrow. Families will still picnic there. Children will still splash in the waves. But every time the tide comes in, some will stop and remember four little lives lost on 19 August 2026. A mother and father who gave their all. A teenage sister who tried to save her sister. And a 6-year-old girl whose final breath came in a hospital bed far from the sea she loved.
This is the Shoreham sea tragedy. This is what happens when the sea decides to take what it wants. And in the quiet moments on that golden beach, the world is reminded of how fragile our lives are – and how one moment, one current, one wave, can change everything forever.
The family’s grief is shared by the entire South Coast. But their memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew them, and in the prayers of strangers who now see the sea with new eyes. Saja, Sara, Zeina and Hassan are gone. But their story will never be forgotten.
