Asylum seeker dies on Bibby Stockholm barge | UK News
An asylum seeker has died on board the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Dorset Police said they received a report of a “sudden death of a resident on the Bibby Stockholm” at 6.22am on Tuesday.
They said officers are conducting enquiries into the circumstances of the incident.
Sources who have spoken to a number of people living on the barge have told Sky News the individual took their own life.
Further details are yet to be confirmed, including the individual’s age and country of origin.
The Bibby Stockholm, docked in Portland Port in Dorset, is one of a number of alternative sites the Home Office is using to house asylum seekers.
A Home Office spokesperson said: ”We are aware of reporting of an incident involving an asylum seeker on the Bibby Stockholm”.
“This is an ongoing police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
A spokesperson for the prime minister also confirmed they were aware of the incident but declined to comment further.
Asylum seekers were moved back to the Bibby Stockholm in October
A number of asylum seekers were moved back to the vessel in October, some two months after it was evacuated following the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was asked about the incident during a speech in Buckinghamshire.
Although he said he wasn’t yet aware of the details, he said his “heart goes out to the family and friends of an individual who has lost their life”.
In a statement, the refugee charity Care4Calais, said: “Our thoughts are with the person who has lost their life, their family and their friends.”
“It is also with all those stuck on board the Bibby Stockholm who will be experiencing a deep feeling of grief and worry today,” said Care4Calais CEO Steve Smith.
Campaigning charity Freedom from Torture said it was “devastated” to hear of the death, as it called for an end to the use of barges as asylum accommodation.
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The barge, which can house up to 500 people, is among a number of controversial accommodation options the government has begun rolling out to provide cheaper alternative housing for migrants awaiting the processing of asylum applications – including former military bases.
A total of 39 migrants were moved into the floating accommodation in August.
However, they were moved off again within days after Legionella bacteria, which can lead to the deadly lung infection Legionnaires’ disease, were found on board.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman previously insisted the barge was safe.
But human rights campaigners have compared it to a prison ship and said its use is inhumane.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made cracking down on illegal migration one of his key priorities.
The incident comes as MPs are due to vote on the government’s flagship Rwanda bill later on Tuesday.
