Seven-year-old Inaayah Makda from Blackburn was swept into the sea in Casablanca, Morocco on Wednesday, with her parents saying UK authorities have not provided practical support
The parents of a young girl who vanished after being swept out to sea whilst on holiday in Morocco, have criticised UK authorities for their “lack of practical support”. Seven-year-old Inaayah Makda from Blackburn was sitting on rocks at the beach in the coastal city of Casablanca with her parents when she was hit by a large wave last Wednesday (January 28).
Despite efforts from charities, volunteers and underwater teams, the search for the little girl has so far proved fruitless.
In an update shared via the Blackburn Muslim Facebook page on Sunday February 1, Inaayah’s parents Zubair and Tasneem expressed deep concern over what they described as the “limited practical support” provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
“We are deeply concerned by the limited practical support we have received from UK authorities,” said Inaayah’s parents. “While we have been told our case is being monitored, this has not translated into tangible action.
“We are not asking the UK government to take over the search but to actively advocate with Moroccan authorities for expanded efforts, to push for additional resources, and to provide the necessary coordination and expertise to strengthen the search.”, reports Lancs Live.
“As British parents of a British child missing overseas, we need more – practical – urgent support that can help escalate the search and bring additional resources into play.
“This is not about blame. This is about a little girl who is deeply loved and missed, and about parents who are doing everything in their power to bring their daughter home. We are asking the UK Government, the Foreign Office, and relevant authorities to urgently support the deployment of additional resources and ensure that no possibility is left unexplored.
“We have been forced to rely heavily on local volunteers and private efforts, supported by the extraordinary generosity of the public. While we are grateful for this compassion it should not fall solely on a grieving family to navigate complex international systems during a crisis.
“Inaayah is not just a statistic. She is a little girl who deserves every possible chance to be found. We are asking, simply and desperately, for everything that can be done – now.
“We are not stopping searching for our daughter, and we ask the public to continue keeping her in their prayers.”
A spokesperson for the the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British national reported missing in Morocco and are in contact with the local authorities.”