04 November 2023 , 12:08
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An asylum seeker who suffered acute seasickness on board the Bibby Stockholm during Storm Ciaran this week fears it could sink during the next storm.
He vomited when the ship "rocked like a swing" as the storm raged during the early hours of Thursday morning. And he has since spotted a large crack in the ceiling of his friend’s room - making him anxious that another tempest could see the barge "fall apart". The asylum seeker from the Middle East, who is using the false name Adam to protect his identity, said: "The storm was terrifying. The barge started shaking tremendously. It was like we were on a swing.
Those on board 'no longer seek help' to improve their circumstances (Getty Images)"It feels like the ship is made out of cardboard. I’m worried the ship could fall apart if there’s another storm and we could all drown. It’s just another reason why the Home Office should get us off this ship.
Recalling how the storm hit the area around the Bibby Stockholm - branded "the prison" by residents because of constant inspections when they leave or enter by security staff - at about 11pm on Wednesday night, he said: "I got very seasick and started feeling dizzy. I could see the lights of the other ships nearby going up and down through the windows, so I knew we were moving. I vomited at around 5am and finally got to sleep at about 7am."
Prior to being housed on the Bibby Stockholm, campaigners had raised concerns that living on a barge could make them seasick. But the Home Office said that Bibby Marine barges like the Stockholm had been used for accommodation for nearly 500,000 days "with no reports of sea or motion sickness." They also said its site and the way in which it was moored meant it would “experience very little movement.” Adam has challenged this, saying: “They have not taken storms into consideration. I feel punished.”
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As reports emerged this week that a 23-year-old asylum seeker tried to take his own life after discovering he would be moved on to the barge, Adam described the news as "predictable." He added: "It would be wrong for cats and dogs to be housed on a ship - never mind human beings. I don’t have any feelings anymore. Our feelings are dead. For the 61 of us on board, we have reached the point where we don’t even consider seeking help to improve our circumstances."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Bibby Stockholm is in a sheltered port, protected by a large breakwater and moored securely alongside a permanent jetty which means the vessel is well secured. It has previously safely and comfortably housed workers from various industries, including shipyard workers, construction workers and offshore construction workers in various weather conditions. The Home Office and our contractors have all appropriate measures and protocols in place to ensure the safety of those on and off the vessel."