Reported Suicide Exposes Britain’s ‘Cruel’ Migrant Boat Mess

An asylum seeker has died aboard a barge housing migrants off the south coast of England, a refugee charity said Tuesday, with local reports claiming that the deceased took their own life.

The death on the Bibby Stockholm—a highly controversial three-story accommodation vessel used by the British government in an effort to reduce costs associated with asylum housing—is merely the latest distressing incident associated with the barge, which critics have called “cruel” and “inhumane.” The purported suicide also comes as U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is attempting to protect another of his anti-immigration policies which the right-wing of his party believe does not go far enough.

The death on the barge, which can provide housing for up to 500 people, was reported by Care4Calais, a refugee charity supporting migrants in the U.K., northern France, and Belgium. “Our thoughts are with the person who has lost their life, their family and their friends,” CEO Steve Smith said. He added that others on board would be “experiencing a deep feeling of grief and worry today” and said the British government “must take responsibility for this human tragedy.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.