Inquest opens into deaths of four family members in Shoreham

An inquest has begun into the deaths of four members of a north west London family who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham. Hussam El-Khawas, 55, Zeina Alayan, 37, and their daughter Sara El-Khawas, 13, were pronounced dead after being brought ashore by lifeboat crews on 18 August 2026. Their younger daughter, Saja El-Khawas, 6, died at Evelina Children's Hospital in London three days later.

Senior coroner Penelope Scholfield opened the inquest in Horsham on 2 September 2026. She offered her condolences to the wider family and adjourned the proceedings until March 2027, pending the conclusion of a police investigation. Saja El-Khawas had been resuscitated but showed signs of a brain injury during her treatment. No provisional cause of death was given for the other family members.

Background to the incident

The family lived in north west London. Mr El-Khawas worked as a construction worker and Ms Alayan was a homemaker. Both parents were Lebanese nationals holding British passports, while their children were born in Kensington. Mr El-Khawas was identified as a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in Lebanon. It is believed the family travelled from their London home to visit Shoreham and entered the water from the beach near Shoreham Fort at approximately 14:00 BST on 18 August 2026.

Sussex Police confirmed to the inquest that they were satisfied there was no third-party involvement in the incident. The inquest was told that the police investigation remains ongoing.

Repatriation and fundraising

The bodies of the family were repatriated to Lebanon, where a funeral was held. According to the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), £23,000 was raised to facilitate the transfer of the bodies. Mohammed Fadi, of the PFB, stated that family members were unable to fly to the UK due to visa restrictions, and the funds were raised to allow the family to see their relatives for the last time and to provide support.