A 14-year-old girl who died after getting into difficulty in the sea with her family has been described as a 'sweet girl' who will be 'greatly missed' by her West London school. Sara El-Khawas, a Year 8 student at Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing, died alongside her father Hassan El-Khawas, 55, and mother Zeina Alayn, 37, in the incident at Shoreham, West Sussex, on Tuesday afternoon (August 18).
Incident details and emergency response
The family had travelled from their home in London to visit Shoreham and entered the water from the beach near Shoreham Fort at around 2pm. Police, paramedics, coastguard crews and a lifeboat were dispatched to the scene, where four people were pulled from the water. Three of them were pronounced dead at the scene, while another young girl remains in hospital in a critical condition, according to Sussex Police.
Floral tributes have been left at the scene near the RNLI station. Sussex Police said its investigation remains open, but following a review of CCTV footage and initial witness accounts, the current hypothesis is that the incident was a tragic accident, with no third-party involvement.
School tribute and community response
In a statement, Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls paid tribute to Sara, writing: "It is with great sadness that we share the news that our Year 8 student, Sara, has died following a tragic incident during the school holidays. Sara was a sweet girl, well-liked by staff and students, and she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with her family, friends, and all those affected. We [are] also thinking of her sister and loved ones at this extremely difficult time."
Chief Superintendent James Collis of Sussex Police said: "The events of Tuesday afternoon are a heartbreaking tragedy which has devastated a family and their friends and had a profound impact on the Shoreham community."
Background and support measures
The Palestinian Forum said that the family were British citizens of Palestinian origin, with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon. The school announced that it will put additional support in place for those affected and will work with specialist services to 'ensure help is available' to anyone who requires it.
