Three members of same family die after getting into difficulty in water

A man, a woman and a teenage girl have died after getting into difficulty off the Sussex coast, while a younger girl from the same family is in a critical condition in hospital

Carrington Walker and Anahita Hossein-Pour and Stanley Murphy-Johns Press Association

21:52, 18 Aug 2026Updated 22:05, 18 Aug 2026

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A couple and their teenage daughter have tragically lost their lives after getting into difficulty off the Sussex coast.

Multiple ambulances and two air ambulances were deployed to Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, near the RNLI station on Tuesday afternoon. Sussex Police confirmed that emergency services were called to reports of four people getting into difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.

It is believed the family entered the water for a swim before getting into difficulty.

Speaking to reporters this evening, Chief Superintendent James Collis confirmed that a man, a woman and a teenage girl had all died, while a younger girl from the same family remains in a critical condition in hospital.

He said: Around 2,40 pm this afternoon, emergency services were called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.

Sussex Police supported His Majestys Coast Guard and the RNLI as all four people were brought to shore.

Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people a man, a woman, and a teenage girl were sadly confirmed deceased.

A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in critical condition. We can confirm all four people were from the same family, and their next of kin have been informed.

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Anyone with information or video footage about the incident has been asked to contact Sussex Police online or via 101, quoting Operation North.

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