Tragic UK Drowning Victims to Find Final Resting Place in Lebanese Refugee Camp

A family of Palestinian origin who tragically drowned off the south coast of England last week will be laid to rest in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, a family member living there has confirmed.

Hassan Al Khawas, 55, his wife Zeina Alayn, 37, and their daughter Sara, 14, lost their lives in Shoreham after struggling in the sea. Another daughter, Sajad, 6, passed away a few days later in the hospital. Mr. Al Khawas—known to relatives as Hossam—and his wife were British citizens originally born in the Rashidiya refugee camp in southern Lebanon, which currently shelters more than 30,000 displaced Palestinian families.

Sussex Police have stated that the deaths are being treated as a tragic accident with no third-party involvement. Condolence ceremonies have been held both in London and at the family home in Rashidiya.

Hassan’s brother, Jalal Al Khawas, who resides in Rashidiya, told The National that the family is currently awaiting the repatriation of the bodies to Lebanon. "It’s important for us. His mother is old, she is over 90 years old, she wants to see him one last time," he said. "She hadn’t seen him in a long time. She wants to see him. It has been very hard on her."

Mr. Al Khawas and his family had not visited Lebanon in three years due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which heavily impacts southern Lebanon. The Rashidiya camp has also been repeatedly targeted or damaged by Israeli airstrikes. "He wanted to come and we told him not to, we told him to wait," his brother recalled.

While awaiting the arrival of the bodies, the family has been receiving mourners at their home in Rashidiya camp. Jalal shared that friends living in the UK also visited the family to offer comfort. "We’ve had Lebanese and Palestinians from London coming to our house. They were crying. Their wives were crying. They told us how Hossam always looked out for them," he noted.

Jalal added that the two girls "had lovely lives," with Sara attending the Ellen Wilkinson School in West London. "They were doing well at school, their parents cared for them," he said.

Meanwhile, the couple's two surviving children—a 15-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy—are being cared for by uncles in London. Jalal stated, "We will work on finding the right path for them. It will be better for them to stay in London." However, he expressed deep concern over the psychological impact of the tragedy. "We hope to help the children. They were witnesses to what happened. The boy saw his father drown. This is going to be very difficult for them," he said.

Water-related fatalities have seen an increase in the UK this year amid rising temperatures and multiple heatwaves. In May alone, nineteen people died within a single week, many of them children and teenagers.

The recent tragedy has profoundly affected the community in Shoreham, where residents gathered on the beach for a vigil on Sunday, taking to the water with paddle-boards and kayaks as part of a commemoration ceremony.

Wesley Horscroft, attending on behalf of the Kingston beach community, mentioned that he initially planned to honor the family alone before deciding to invite others. "It's kind of grown and a lot of people wanted to turn up to do the same," he told the BBC.

Sara Al Khawas's school also honored the "sweet" and "well-liked" student. A statement on the Ellen Wilkinson School website read, "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."