A 14-year-old girl who perished in the water with her mother and father has been characterized by her school as a ‘kind girl’ who was ‘popular’ among her peers and educators.
Sara El-Khawas, along with her parents Hassan El-Khawas, aged 55, and Zeina Alayn, 37, tragically drowned while swimming in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, approximately at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, when the sea was rough.
Their younger daughter, Saja, is still in the hospital in a critical state.
The family were UK residents of Palestinian background who moved to the United Kingdom from the Rashidieh Camp in the south.Lebanon, the Palestinian embassy stated.
The camp is located along the Mediterranean shoreline and is among the largest Palestinian refugee settlements in the nation.
It is assumed that the family had come down from their residence in the northwest.Londonto go to Shoreham for a day trip.
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls published a remembrance on its official website after Sara’s untimely passing.
A representative from the school stated: “We are deeply saddened to announce that our Year 8 student, Sara, passed away after a heartbreaking event that occurred during the school break.”
Sara was a kind young woman, popular among staff and students, and her absence will be deeply felt. Our thoughts and sincere sympathies go out to her family, friends, and everyone impacted. We are also keeping her sister and other loved ones in our thoughts during this very challenging period.
This information is likely to cause significant distress among many students, their families, and the school community. We are implementing extra support for those impacted and will keep collaborating with expert services to make sure assistance is accessible to all who require it.
We request that the family’s privacy is honored as they deal with their grief.
Floral offerings were placed at Shoreham beach after the incident.
The family resided in a ground-floor, two-bedroom public housing unit, with neighbors referring to them as a ‘warm and tightly-knit family’.
Sam, residing on the first floor of the building, mentioned that the family had been living there for a decade and rarely discussed their life prior to moving to the UK.
“Hassan was a kind man, and I frequently encountered him in the shared garden we have. I saw him a few days ago, and he mentioned they were planning to go to the seashore for a day out,” he said.
They have lived in the apartment for several years, and two of their younger children were born while they were residing there. They were a warm and close-knit family, and what has occurred is truly heartbreaking.
Ahmed, another neighbor, stated, “The only thing I know is that they were in a refugee camp prior to arriving in the UK over ten years ago. Hassan worked as a builder and was a straightforward person who was always smiling and approachable.”
Witnesses reported that one of the girls became entangled in a fishing net, leading to the unfortunate incident. A fisherman rescued one of the children before sounding the alarm.
Joe Chrisp, 24, stated: “A local fisherman mentioned there were two adults and two children.”
One of the children seems to have been ensnared in a fishing net.
The inquiry regarding the event is still ongoing, but authorities suspect it was a heartbreaking accident without any external involvement.
As a gesture of remembrance to the family, the Palestinian Forum in Britain expressed their grief over their loss.
‘With hearts that trust in God’s decision, the Palestinian Forum in Britain laments Mr Hossam El-Khawas, his righteous wife, and their daughter—originating from the Rashidieh refugee camp in Lebanon—after they drowned in the Sussex region,’ it stated.
We ask for the recovery of their second daughter, who was admitted to the hospital.
The forum stated: ‘We also ask for assistance in contacting the family (for those who are familiar with them) so we can carry out our shared responsibility collectively. May God show His great compassion towards them, welcome them into His wide gardens, and provide their loved ones with endurance and comfort. Truly, we belong to God and to Him we will return.’
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