Inaayah Makda was struck by a wave as she sat on rocks on a beach in Casablanca. / Ph. BBC ‹ › On the first day of her family's holiday in Casablanca, a seven-year-old British girl has gone missing after being swept out to sea, the BBC reported on Thursday. The child, Inaayah Makda, from Lancashire in North West England, was struck on Wednesday by a large wave while sitting with her parents on rocks along a beach in the city, according to her family. Her parents, Zubair and Tasneem Makda, were also knocked into the water but lost sight of their daughter amid the chaos. A family member said the couple spent hours on the beach calling out Inaayah's name without success. «There were no warnings or signs there for tourists», a family member told the BBC, explaining that while the tide initially appeared to be far out, it surged rapidly within about 20 minutes, catching the family by surprise. The same source said the family became surrounded by water when a wave pushed Inaayah in one direction and her parents in another. «She disappeared from view before her father could reach her», the relative added. The parents, who remain in Casablanca, have reportedly turned to a private search operator, including the use of a helicopter, to assist in the search efforts. Adnan Hussein, the Member of Parliament for Blackburn, where the family lives, said he had contacted them and was working with UK authorities. «I am urgently raising this matter with the UK authorities, including the Foreign Office, to ensure every possible step is being taken to support the search efforts and to provide the family with all the assistance they require at this deeply distressing time», he said. This week in Morocco, the General Directorate of Meteorology had issued a warning about very rough seas and dangerous waves, with wave heights reaching up to 6–7 meters along parts of the Atlantic coast on Wednesday and Thursday.
