Tragic Drowning Off English Coast Claims Lives of Palestinian Refugee and Two Relatives

Three members of a Palestinian British family have tragically drowned after entering the sea off England’s Sussex coast, according to the Palestinian embassy in London. The announcement was made on Wednesday, just a day after the family went for a swim near Shoreham Fort in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.

The father, Hossam al-Khawas, was identified as a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in southern Lebanon near Tyre, as reported by the Press Association news agency. Emergency responders including police, paramedics, coastguard crews, and a lifeboat were rapidly deployed to the scene where four individuals were pulled from the water.

Hossam al-Khawas, along with a woman and a teenage girl, were pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, a younger girl was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. In a statement, the Palestinian mission in the United Kingdom said, “The Embassy is closely monitoring the incident and is making the necessary contacts with the relevant British authorities to ascertain its circumstances and to check on the condition of the injured girl.”

Following the incident, which he termed “a terrible family tragedy,” UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham issued a warning on Wednesday regarding the hazards of open water swimming, the BBC reported. He extended his deepest sympathies and love to the family and friends of the victims, as well as to the young girl still fighting for her life in critical condition.

Across Europe, drownings have seen a sharp increase as citizens seek relief from ongoing heatwaves, with similar fatal incidents documented in France, Germany, and the UK. Safety experts continue to issue warnings that open-water swimming poses severe hidden risks, including cold water shock, powerful currents, and unexpected drops in depth.