A seven-year-old girl is missing after she was “swept away by a wave” in Morocco, an MP has said.
The girl, who is from Blackburn in Lancashire and was named locally as Inaayah Makda, on holiday with her family in the coastal city of Casablanca when she vanished on Wednesday.
In a post on social media on Thursday morning, independent MP for Blackburn Adnan Hussain said he had spoken directly with Inaayah’s father and aunt to offer his support and that the Blackburn community was “united in hope and prayer” for the girl and her loved ones.
He wrote: “I am heartbroken by the news that 7-year-old Inaayah from Blackburn has been swept away by a wave while on holiday in Casablanca.
“My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this unimaginably painful time.”
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The girl’s family told the BBC she was hit by a large wave on Wednesday as she sat on rocks at the beach with her parents.
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A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British national reported missing in Morocco and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Masters of Martial Arts Blackburn said in a statement on social media: “It is with heavy hearts that we share our love and support for Inaayah Makda, a young student from our club, and her family during this unimaginably distressing time.
“Inaayah, aged 7 and from Blackburn, was tragically swept out to sea by a large wave while on holiday with her family in Morocco and is missing. Family members have been desperately searching for her.
“Words cannot express how deeply saddened we are by this news. We are holding Inaayah, her parents, and their entire family in our thoughts and prayers.”
