A six-year-old girl, Saja El-Khawas, has died in hospital after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham, West Sussex. She was pulled from the water by emergency crews on Tuesday.
Her father, Hassan El-Khawas, 55, mother Zeina Alayn, 37, and 14-year-old sister Sara, died at the scene despite paramedic efforts. The family, British Palestinians from London, had travelled to Shoreham for the day and entered the water from the beach at Shoreham Fort around 14:00 BST before getting into trouble.
Emergency services, including HM Coastguard and the RNLI, responded to reports of four people in difficulty at Kingston Beach. Sussex Police stated that an investigation is open, with CCTV footage and witness accounts suggesting a tragic accident with no third-party involvement. A file will be prepared for the coroner ahead of an inquest.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the incident a "terrible family tragedy". East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tom Rutland expressed heartbreak, stating the community had been hoping for Saja's recovery. A community vigil and a one-minute silence are planned for Saturday morning in Shoreham.