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Palestinian family drowns off Shoreham as police confirm three

8/19/2026

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Summary

Palestinian Family Drowns

Three members of a Palestinian refugee family died after drowning off Shoreham, Sussex on August 18, 2026.
Police identified the deceased as Hassan El Khawas, 55, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and daughter Sara, 14.
Emergency crews arrived around 2:40 p.m. after the family entered the water to swim and got into difficulty, according to Chief Superintendent James Collis.

Summary

Study Records Drownings

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine study recorded 35 UK drowning deaths this summer, including eight in July.
Earlier this month a 12-year-old boy drowned in the River Lea near Hackney Marshes.
Anna Peacock, 81, warned that a hidden riptide near Shoreham Fort can pull swimmers out in seconds, highlighting safety concerns.

History

Historical Context

In 1974 a sudden rip current off Brighton claimed 13 swimmers, prompting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to receive a £1.2 million funding boost and Brighton & Hove Council to station 25 lifeguards. The tragedy echoed earlier coastal challenges; Brighton’s iconic bathing boxes, first erected in the 1860s and expanded to 246 by 1933, have long faced erosion, leading to sandbag protections and periodic beach renourishment.

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Palestinian Family Drowns

Three members of a Palestinian refugee family died after drowning off Shoreham, Sussex on August 18, 2026.
Police identified the deceased as Hassan El Khawas, 55, his partner Zeina Alayn, 37, and daughter Sara, 14.
Emergency crews arrived around 2:40 p.m. after the family entered the water to swim and got into difficulty, according to Chief Superintendent James Collis.

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