A major fundraising campaign has surged past the £50,000 mark to support the frantic, independent search efforts for a seven-year-old British girl who was swept out to sea while on holiday in Morocco. Inaayah Makda, a schoolgirl from Blackburn, Lancashire, vanished on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 28, after a sudden and aggressive tide caught her family unawares on a beach near Casablanca.
The tragedy unfolded on what was meant to be the very first night of a week-long family getaway. Inaayah’s parents, Zubair and Tasneem Makda, had taken their daughter to a coastal area featuring scattered rock formations. According to relatives and accounts from the scene, the tide appeared to be safely recedant when the family first arrived, leading them to believe the rocky shoreline was stable for a brief walk.
However, within minutes, the conditions shifted dramatically. Without any warning or visible safety signage for tourists visiting the area, the tide rushed in with terrifying speed. Within twenty minutes, the churning water had trapped numerous people along the shoreline. While several other beachgoers were ultimately rescued or managed to reach safety, young Inaayah was tragically separated from her parents as powerful waves battered the rocky outcrop.
Recounting the horrifying moments in a heartbreaking voice note shared publicly by Blackburn-based UCTV presenter Naseem Khan, Zubair Makda described how the sudden rush of water overwhelmed them.
"We were just on the rocks… that were sort of spread apart. It’s sort of like half a metre-high type of rocks and that’s when the tide just suddenly just swept everyone out," Zubair said in the audio message, his voice heavy with grief and exhaustion.
"Inaayah was on a rock behind me. I pray she’s okay and she’s on a rock or something and she’s just waiting for somebody to rescue her. I just pray she’s not gone and she’s not left us. I’ve always said that she’s a special girl."
Accounts of the Incident and Family’s Frustration
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the Makda family experienced immense distress not only from the loss of their daughter but also from what they described as an inadequate and delayed response from local Moroccan authorities. Relatives noted that while concerns were raised immediately on Wednesday afternoon, local emergency services were slow to mobilize comprehensive search-and-rescue operations, prompting the family to take matters into their own hands.
A relative of the family, who chose to remain anonymous, shed light on the sudden nature of the hazard. She emphasized that the absence of warning signs or tourist advisory notices contributed heavily to the danger, as visitors unfamiliar with the unpredictable local tidal patterns had no way of anticipating how rapidly the sea would rise across the low-lying rocks.
Cut off from their daughter by raging currents, Zubair and Tasneem were knocked in opposite directions by a ferocious wave. Though they managed to climb to safety, they lost sight of Inaayah entirely as she was carried away by the open water.
Intensified Search Efforts and Community Response
Refusing to give up hope, the heartbroken parents chose to remain in Casablanca, coordinating an independent search operation. Recognizing that local official efforts were falling short of what was urgently required, the family enlisted the services of a private search operator equipped with a helicopter and specialized maritime resources to comb the coastline from the air and the water.
To help offset the immense financial burden of these private operations, a GoFundMe campaign titled "Search for Inaya" was swiftly established. The appeal struck a profound chord both locally in Lancashire and across the wider British public, rapidly surpassing £50,000 toward its £90,000 target.
The fundraiser organizers detailed the extensive expenses required to sustain the search, writing: "As many of you may have seen, our beautiful seven-year-old niece Inaya has gone missing after being swept out to sea on the first day of her family holiday in Morocco. This is an unimaginably distressing time for her parents and loved ones."
The statement continued to outline where the donations are being directed: "We are urgently asking for your kind support and donations to help cover the costs of the ongoing search efforts, including private boat hire, aerial support, as well as essential family expenses. These include translator support, emergency travel, and other unforeseen costs arising from the search and coordination with local authorities. At present, many of these costs are being met privately by the family, and we are coming together to do everything possible to support them during this critical time."
Back home in Blackburn, the news has cast a heavy shadow over the community. Inaayah is well-known locally as a pupil at Roe Lee Park Primary School and as a student attending the Masjid-e-Saliheen madrasah, where friends, teachers, and community members have rallied in prayer and solidarity for her safe return.
Political and Diplomatic Intervention
Local political figures have also stepped forward to offer assistance and bring diplomatic pressure to bear on the situation. Adnan Hussain, the Member of Parliament for Blackburn, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating that he was completely heartbroken by the news and had maintained direct contact with the Makda family to offer his full support.
"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," Mr. Hussain stated.
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed that it is actively involved in the case. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office released a statement confirming that consular officials are "supporting the family of a British national reported missing in Morocco" and remain "in contact with local authorities" to monitor and encourage the progress of the search.
As the independent search operations continue along the Moroccan coast, community networks and family members continue to share updates and direct public attention toward the ongoing GoFundMe campaign, holding onto hope as search teams sweep the treacherous waters where the young girl was last seen.