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Three dead in Shoreham-by-Sea water incident

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The gist

Three family members died after getting into difficulty in water off Shoreham-by-Sea. A younger girl remains in critical condition in hospital.

Background

On Tuesday afternoon, emergency services responded to reports of four people in difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort, West Sussex. The incident involved a family, and despite rescue efforts, three members—a man, a woman, and a teenage girl—were pronounced dead. A younger girl was rescued and taken to hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 18, 2026 15:00Emergency services called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort.
  2. Aug 18, 2026 16:38Multiple ambulances and two air ambulances seen near the RNLI station; police confirm response.
  3. Aug 18, 2026 21:00Police confirm three family members died; younger girl in critical condition.

Who’s saying what

Official
Sussex Police confirmed the fatalities and said next of kin have been informed.

Still unverified

The exact circumstances leading to the family getting into difficulty have not been disclosed.

Sources

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