Full details have emerged of how three family members drowned after getting into difficulty in the sea off the Sussex coast.

Palestinian refugee Hossam Al-Khawas, his wife Zeina Alyan, and their eldest daughter Sarah all drowned near Shoreham Fort in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, yesterday afternoon.

Their younger daughter, Saja, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Police, paramedics, coastguard crews, and a lifeboat were all sent to the seafront as part of the huge emergency response.

The Palestinian Embassy confirmed Mr Al-Khawas had roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon.

In a later statement, the Palestinian Forum in Britain explained that the family encountered strong currents while at sea, causing Sarah to become caught in a fishing net.

Her father attempted to free her, and her mother entered the water to save them both as the waves and currents intensified. She was followed by daughter Saja.

The PFB added that, sadly, the conditions proved overwhelming, leading to the three deaths and subsequent hospitalisation of Saja as the Palestinian, Arab and wider community prays for her recovery.

It has also emerged that two other children, Yusuf and Malak, were on the shore at the time of the incident. They are now being cared for by their uncle, Adnan Khawwas, the brother of their late father, at his London home.

‘They have another uncle, Ali, as well as an extended family who are
surrounding them with love, care and support at this extremely difficult time.’

Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the PFB, promised that the community will continue supporting the family ‘to ensure that they know they are not alone’.

‘The relevant authorities are carrying out the necessary procedures and investigations, and we ask that the family be given the space and time they need while those processes take place.’

They have lived in Britain for several years and built ‘tight-knit’ bonds with locals.

Following the Khawwas’ deaths, the prime minister warned of the dangers of open-water swimming and described the incident as ‘a terrible family tragedy’.

Andy Burnham said the government can ‘always’ do more on water safety after the four relatives were pulled from the water in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, on Tuesday afternoon.

He added: ‘It’s so sad to hear what happened yesterday, and obviously we think there’s a young girl still in the hospital fighting for her life, and we send our best wishes and love to wider friends and family.

‘But a real tragedy, a real terrible family tragedy.’

Locals have said the family were thought to have been camping nearby on the harbour front.

Chief Superintendent James Collis said previously: ‘At around 2.40pm this afternoon, emergency services were called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.

‘Sussex Police officers supported His Majesty’s Coastguard and the RNLI, as all four people were brought ashore.

‘Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people – a man, woman and teenage girl – have sadly been confirmed deceased.

‘A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in a critical condition.’

He added: ‘At this point we believe all four entered the water from the land to swim and sadly got into difficulty.

‘Our partners in His Majesty’s Coastguard have completed an extensive search of the water and we are not searching for anyone else.’

Several ambulances were at the scene yesterday, as well as two air ambulances, an HM Coastguard helicopter, and rescue teams from Littlehampton, Newhaven, and Shoreham, and the RNLI lifeboat.

A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: ‘I heard from friends in the coastguard that it was a family who had been living in tents by the harbour front.

‘They were camping just between the harbour arm and the fort. They have been there for a couple weeks; I’ve walked my dog past them. People don’t usually camp there.’

Alan Facer, a fisherman from Hove, also told the newspaper: ‘The wind earlier was south-westerly, so usually the waves pick up quite a bit.

‘At 3pm, the tide would have been quite high.

‘I was thinking the other day that someone is going to get hurt around here.’

The RNLI’s Shoreham lifeboat station is just across the mouth of the River Adur from Shoreham Fort.

‘Maybe with the lifeboats nearby they feel safe,’ said the 41-year-old.

Joss Loader, who lives nearby and represents the Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association on Adur District Council, said there is a ‘really strong sense of shock’ in the aftermath, with concerns for Saja.

‘A small tightly-knit community with a very deep sense of shock and that sense of disbelief you get after a tragedy because it has come out of nowhere.’

Shoreham Beach is a spit of land with water on three sides from the River Adur, the estuary and the sea, and Ms Loader said the ‘tragic events’ happened in the estuary.

‘It’s school holidays, and we have had a wonderful summer, so the beaches have been packed with families,’ she said.

‘The weather was quite calm, not as hot as recent days, but it was a perfectly normal day.

‘People swim from those beaches even in the winter; generally, it is considered as safe as the sea can be. You wouldn’t be swimming there and think you were taking a risk.’

Ms Loader said she has reminded people not to speculate and to allow emergency services to investigate before an inquest is held.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tom Rutland said the community in Shoreham ‘will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl’.

In a statement on Facebook, he wrote: ‘I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that three people have died following an incident in the water near Shoreham Fort this afternoon.

‘My thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives, and I know the whole community here in Shoreham will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl receiving medical treatment in hospital.’