Four family members died after being pulled from the sea off the Sussex coast, an inquest has heard. Hussam El-Khawas, 55, his wife Zeina Alayan, 37, their older daughter Sara El-Khawas, 14, and youngest daughter Saja El-Khawas, six, died following reports that they were "getting into trouble in the sea." The incident occurred near Shoreham-by-Sea, and the family was rescued by members of the public and emergency services. Saja was pulled from the water and taken to the hospital, where she was resuscitated. However, she later died on August 21 after showing signs of a brain injury throughout her treatment. An inquest into the deaths of all four family members opened in Horsham on Tuesday. The hearing was informed that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was called after members of the public reported the family being in difficulty in the water. Mr. El-Khawas, Ms. Alayan, and Sara were brought ashore by lifeboat crews at Kingston Beach and pronounced dead at the RNLI lifeboat station. Saja was taken to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton in critical condition before being transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital at St Thomas’ Hospital for further care. Coroner’s officer Kelly Truss told the inquest that Saja showed signs of a brain injury throughout her hospital stay. "All clinical signs throughout her admission showed evidence of a hypoxic brain injury," she said. A hypoxic brain injury occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen, which can lead to serious damage or death. Saja was pronounced dead on August 21, with a provisional cause of death listed as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and drowning. The cause of death for the other three family members has not yet been established. The inquest is expected to explore the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the family ended up in the water and whether any actions could have been taken to prevent the tragedy. The hearing is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation continues.