Drones used in sea search for missing girl

Search efforts for a seven-year-old girl who is missing after being swept out to sea have resumed after being hampered earlier by a storm.

Her parents Zubair and Tasneem Makda were also knocked into the water and lost sight of their daughter.

A family member has told the BBC the search was continuing, with scooters and drones being used around the beach and an SOS alert being sent to all marine vessels in the area.

Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain said earlier that search efforts had "been hindered due to a storm".

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".

Volunteers in the resort had been helping the family with transport, they said, and some local women had been helping translating.

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".

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".

"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.

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".

The family were on their first night of a week-long holiday when the tragedy happened.

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.

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 £60,000.