Tragic Drowning of Palestinian-Lebanese Family in Sussex: Parents and Daughter Die, Prayers for Surviving Child
A profound sense of sorrow and grief has engulfed members of the Palestinian and Arab communities in Britain following a painful humanitarian tragedy that occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The incident resulted in the deaths of three members of a refugee Palestinian family originally from Lebanon, after they drowned in the sea off the coast of Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, southern England.
According to information obtained from sources close to the family and the Palestinian community, the family traces its roots to Palestinian refugees from Lebanon, specifically originating from the Rashidieh refugee camp in southern Lebanon. The victims include the father, Hossam El-Khawwas, along with his wife, Zeina Alyan, and one of their daughters, Sarah. Meanwhile, their second daughter, Saja, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Incident Details
The tragedy unfolded on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 18, near Shoreham Fort at the entrance to Shoreham Harbour. British emergency services received a report at around 2:40 PM regarding four people experiencing difficulties in the water.
Sussex Police confirmed that the four individuals belonged to the same family and had entered the water from the land to swim before encountering severe difficulties at sea. Official information indicates that police, the British Coastguard, RNLI rescue teams, and ambulance services participated in the rescue operation, with air ambulances also deployed to the scene.
Rescue teams managed to pull all four family members from the water and bring them to shore, but paramedics were unable to save three of them. Sussex Police confirmed that the deceased are a man, a woman, and a teenage girl from the same family, while a younger girl was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Father Hossam El-Khawwas, His Wife, and Daughter Among the Victims
According to private information obtained from family and Palestinian community sources, the man who died in the incident is Hossam El-Khawwas, a member of a Palestinian refugee family from the Rashidieh camp in southern Lebanon.
His wife, Zeina Alyan, and one of their daughters (Sarah) also lost their lives in the tragic accident, while their second daughter (Saja) survived after being pulled from the water, though she was rushed to the hospital in extremely critical condition.
This information adds a poignant humanitarian dimension to the incident, which was initially announced by British authorities without disclosing the names or family backgrounds of the victims. Police reported that the victims’ relatives have been notified and that specialist officers are providing them with support following the tragedy.
Rough Seas and Strong Winds
Regarding the cause of the drowning, British police have not yet announced a definitive, specific cause, and investigations remain ongoing to determine the exact events leading up to the disaster. However, police confirmed their initial belief that the family members entered the water to swim and subsequently ran into difficulties.
Meanwhile, British media outlets reported eyewitness accounts and local residents stating that the sea was extremely rough at the time of the incident, featuring strong winds and choppy waves. A local resident noted that while the harbour waters themselves might appear calm, conditions become far more hazardous in the open area outside the harbour, where winds and waves can be intense.
Reports also indicated that the geographic nature of the area at the harbour entrance—where sea water meets the mouth of the River Adur—can create water conditions drastically different from the calmer areas inside the harbour.
Eyewitnesses Sound the Alarm
According to British media reports, bystanders noticed individuals struggling in the water. ITV Meridian reported that nearby fishermen spotted a child in the water and promptly alerted emergency services.
Following the arrival of rescue teams, a large-scale operation was launched to pull the family members from the sea and provide necessary first aid. The operation involved coastguard teams from Shoreham, Littlehampton, and Newhaven, alongside the Shoreham RNLI lifeboat, air ambulances, police, and ambulance services.
Massive Rescue Operation and Road Closures
Due to the scale of the emergency response, a section of the A259 Brighton Road was closed to traffic, and the public was urged to stay away from the scene to allow rescue and emergency teams to operate. Following an extensive search of the waters, the coastguard confirmed that there is currently no information indicating anyone else is missing, and the search for additional victims has therefore concluded.
Ongoing Investigations
Sussex Police Chief Inspector James Collis confirmed that investigations are ongoing in coordination with relevant authorities to determine the full details of the incident. Police have urged anyone who was in the area at the time, or who holds photos or video footage that could shed light on what happened, to come forward and share information under Operation North.
This indicates that the exact reason why the family members found themselves in peril has not yet been definitively established. What is officially confirmed is that they entered the water to swim and encountered difficulties during challenging sea and wind conditions, according to witnesses at the scene.
Deep Grief Across the Palestinian Community
The deaths of Hossam El-Khawwas, his wife Zeina Alyan, and their daughter Sarah have sparked shock and grief among members of the Palestinian and Arab communities in Britain, particularly among Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and residents of the Rashidieh camp who knew the family or shared social and familial ties with them.
All eyes and hearts are now turned toward the second daughter, Saja, who lies in critical condition in the hospital, accompanied by prayers from family, friends, and community members for her to overcome this ordeal and for God to grant her healing and survival.
This is a harsh tragedy in which a family lost three of its members in mere moments, while anxiously awaiting reassuring news about their fourth child. May God have mercy on Hossam El-Khawwas, his wife, and their daughter, grant them spacious paradise, and bestow patience and solace upon their relatives. We ask God to grant their injured daughter a speedy recovery and ensure her safety.
The Palestinian Forum in Britain Mourns the Family
Following this grave loss, the Palestinian Forum in Britain issued a condolence statement mourning the late Hossam and his family, which read:
“With hearts believing in God’s decree, the Palestinian Forum in Britain mourns Mr. Hossam El-Khawwas, his virtuous wife, and their daughter—from the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon—following their drowning in the Sussex area. We pray for the recovery of their second daughter, who was transferred to the hospital. We also request help in reaching out to the family (for those who know them) so we can fulfill our collective duty together. May God bestow His vast mercy upon them, welcome them into His spacious gardens, and grant their loved ones patience and solace. Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return.”
The “Arabs in Britain” Family Condoles the Victims
The “Arabs in Britain” organization also extended its deepest condolences and sympathy to the Palestinian community in Britain, especially our people from the Rashidieh camp in Lebanon, over the death of brother Hossam El-Khawwas, his wife, and their daughter following the drowning accident in Sussex. They prayed to the Almighty to shower them with His vast mercy, settle them in His spacious gardens, grant a speedy recovery to their second daughter, and inspire their loved ones with patience and solace. Indeed, to God we belong and to Him we shall return.
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