A family who drowned off a beach near Shoreham in West Sussex have been identified as a Palestinian refugee, his wife and their young daughter, in a tragedy that triggered a major search and rescue effort. Footage has emerged showing an RNLI lifeboat crew battling heavy seas as they searched for the family after they got into difficulty in the water, highlighting the dangerous conditions rescuers faced.

According to reports, a member of the family, believed to be a child, remains in hospital in a serious condition following the incident. The family's background as refugees has added to the shock and sympathy expressed locally, though full details of how the tragedy unfolded and the precise circumstances of the rescue operation have yet to be fully confirmed.