Asylum seeker ‘dies aboard Bibby Stockholm barge’
An asylum seeker on board the Bibby Stockholm barge docked in Dorset has died, police[1] have confirmed.
Residents were brought back on board at Portland in October, more than two months after it was evacuated following the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply. The person's age and country of origin are not yet known, it is understood. The person was found dead on Tuesday morning and police and ambulances had arrived at the barge, another person living inside told ITV[2].
A Dorset Police spokesperson said: "At 6.22am on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, Dorset Police received a report of a sudden death of a resident on the Bibby Stockholm. Officers are conducting inquiries into the circumstances of the incident. The coroner's office has been notified of the death."
A Home Office spokeswoman 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."
Home Secretary James Cleverly told the Commons: "Tragically, there has been (a) death on the Bibby Stockholm barge. I'm sure that the thoughts of the whole House, like mine, are with those affected.
"The House will understand that at this stage I am uncomfortable getting into any more details. But we will of course investigate fully."
Charity Care 4 Calais has criticised conditions on the Bibby Stockholm barge after the death.
Steve Smith, the organisation's chief executive, 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.
"The UK Government must take responsibility for this human tragedy. They have wilfully ignored the trauma they are inflicting on people who are sent to the Bibby Stockholm, and the hundreds being accommodated in former military barracks.
"They are being separated from the rest of society and we have witnessed a serious deterioration of people's mental health. We have regularly been reporting suicidal intentions among residents and no action is taken. This can no longer continue. Asylum seekers are human beings, many of whom have experienced the worst traumas imaginable through war, torture and persecution.
"It's time our political leaders treated them as human beings, listened to the trauma they have experienced and offered them sanctuary. The Government's proxy war against refugees is costing lives."
Former home secretary Suella Braverman previously insisted the Bibby barge was safe amid threats of legal action from firefighters and protests about the suitability of the plan.
Campaigning charity Freedom from Torture said it was "devastated" to hear of the death on board the Bibby Stockholm, as it called for an end to the use of barges and barracks as asylum accommodation.
Ann Salter, from the charity, said: "This latest tragedy is yet another reminder that the Government's punitive anti-refugee policies are not only cruel, but they cost lives. From the survivors I work with every day, I know that the cramped and dangerous conditions on the Bibby can be profoundly retraumatising for those who've survived torture and persecution, in addition to traumatic experiences they've suffered en route to the UK.
"Until this Government stops forcing refugees into unsafe and undignified accommodation, we will continue to see horrific stories of deaths, suicide attempts, serious health issues, and unnecessary suffering. It's time this Government ends the use of barges and barracks as asylum accommodation once and for all. Those seeking protection need to be housed in our communities where they can properly access the support they need to recover and rebuild their lives."
The Refugee Council has called for an independent review into the death, saying what had happened was an "appalling loss of life but tragically not surprising".
Enver Solomon, the council's chief executive, said: "Nobody who comes to our country seeking asylum should be left without the support they need yet the system has more hostility than compassion built into it. It is imperative that an independent review is carried out into this death so that lessons are learned to avoid any further tragedies of this kind. A new approach that always sees the face behind the case and treats every individual person with the dignity and humanity they deserve is urgently needed."