A six-year-old girl has died in hospital following a maritime emergency off Shoreham in which three other family members also lost their lives.
The child was among four family members who encountered difficulty in the water on 18 August 2026. Emergency services launched a major multi-agency rescue operation in response to the incident, though efforts to save all those involved proved unsuccessful.
This incident follows a pattern of tragic drowning incidents across the south coast in recent months. In July 2026, a seven-year-old boy died in hospital after a beach incident at West Mersea, Essex, that also claimed the lives of his mother and sister. Earlier that month, three sisters from Uxbridge died in the sea off Brighton beach, with emergency services recovering their bodies near Black Rock car park.
The Shoreham incident represents one of the most severe family tragedies to occur in local waters. Authorities have been providing support to the bereaved family as investigations continue into the circumstances of the emergency.
