Residents tell of sadness at ‘predictable’ death of asylum seeker on Bibby Stockholm barge
Local residents have spoken of their sadness at the “predictable” death of an asylum seeker aboard the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Dorset Police have confirmed the “sudden death” of a resident of the vessel at Portland Port on Tuesday morning.
A small number of bunches of flowers had been placed at the entrance to the port with a sign left by the Portland Global Friendship Group which said: “So very sad that one of our friends from a distant land has died today. May you rest in peace.”
Retired civil engineer Gabriel Hyde told the PA news agency that he felt the death was “shocking” because it had been predictable.
He said: “It’s terribly sad, we have all known that some of the people are very low and it hasn’t come as a surprise, which makes it so shocking to be expecting something like this and for it to happen.”
Mr Hyde added: “I have just come here to show my respects to one of my fellow people who has died tragically and unnecessarily, I do not want to make political points about it, it’s a very sad situation.
“It’s a human point, if you put people in miserable circumstances deliberately, people who are in any case vulnerable, it’s going to be no surprise if one of them decides it’s all too much, this is what has happened in this case.”
His wife Wanda Hyde said: “If they were dogs from Romania they would have been homed; we treat dogs better than humans, it’s appalling.”
Simon Pugh-Jones, a retired teacher, said: “It’s a simple thing about caring for people – in Britain we do care about people but we have a government that goes out of its way not to care about people.
“If we do not care about people, tragedies happen.”
Cathi Aanwyn left a bunch of flowers with a note saying: “Remembering our neighbour and friend, with deep sorrow for the pain he endured. May you now rest in peace.”
Ms Aanwyn said: “I just felt deeply, deeply sad because somebody that is here, right beside us, who has come all the way to this country and has been in so much pain that they think they have no hope and no future and has taken their own life.
“And it could be any of our son, brother, friend, so I just feel deeply sad for him, his friends, his family and the situation as well.”
For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
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