Couple and teenage daughter who died in water off Shoreham named by police

Police have identified three members of the same family who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham. Hassan El-Khawas, 55, Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter Sara El-Khawas, are believed to have entered the water near Shoreham Fort on Tuesday. A younger girl from the same family, who was pulled from the water with them, remains in hospital in a critical condition.

Sussex Police stated that the family had traveled from their London home to visit Shoreham. After reviewing CCTV footage, investigators believe the deaths were a tragic accident with no third-party involvement.

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Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family, particularly the children, who are facing an unimaginable loss.

The Palestinian Forum said the family were British citizens of Palestinian origin, with roots in the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon. Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said the community was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the incident. He noted that two other children were on the shore at the time.

The Palestinian Embassy in London said it was closely monitoring the incident and contacting British authorities to establish the circumstances and check on the condition of the girl in hospital. A statement issued by the embassy sent condolences to the family and the UK's Palestinian community and wished the girl a speedy recovery.

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deeply shocked and saddened