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Inaayah Makda from Blackburn was struck by a wave as she sat on rocks on a beach in Casablanca [BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Search efforts for a seven-year-old girl who is missing after being swept out to sea are continuing after being hampered earlier by a storm.<\/p>\n
Inaayah Makda from Blackburn, Lancashire, was hit by a large wave as she and her parents sat on rocks<\/a> on a beach in Casablanca, Morocco, on Wednesday, her family have said.<\/p>\n Her parents Zubair and Tasneem Makda were also knocked into the water and lost sight of their daughter.<\/p>\n A family member has told the BBC scooters and drones were being used around the beach and an SOS alert had been sent to all marine vessels in the area.<\/p>\n Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain said earlier that the search had “been hindered due to a storm”.<\/p>\n The family member told the BBC Inaayah’s relatives were hoping to use Jet Ski water scooters but “the water was too rough at the moment”.<\/p>\n Volunteers in the resort had been helping the family with transport, they said, and some local women had been helping translating.<\/p>\n Hussain said the Moroccan ambassador had given him “strong assurances” that he would “do all in his power to ensure every action is taken by local authorities to assist in the search for Inaayah”.<\/p>\n He said the Foreign Office had reiterated his request to Moroccan counterparts for a dedicated police liaison officer “to provide direct and immediate support for the family”.<\/p>\n “The governor of Casablanca has confirmed that the Moroccan civil protection team is on scene and will provide constant updates to the Foreign Office,” he added.<\/p>\n The MP said he wanted to “thank and commend the people of Blackburn for coming together and offering support and solidarity to Inaayah’s family during this devastating time”.<\/p>\n The family were on their first night of a week-long holiday when the tragedy happened.<\/p>\n A relative, who did not wish to be named, said the tide appeared to be a long way out when they first arrived on the beach but came in very quickly – within about 20 minutes – catching them by surprise.<\/p>\n A Go Fund Me appeal launched to pay for a private search and essential family expenses for the parents, who are still in Casablanca, has raised more than \u00a360,000.<\/p>\n Listen to the best of <\/em>BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds<\/em><\/a> and follow BBC Lancashire on <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>X<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.<\/em><\/p>\n‘Support and solidarity’<\/h2>\n
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