The United Kingdom is taking a group of asylum seekers off a barge just days after moving them onto the vessel because Legionella bacteria was found in the water supply, an embarrassment for the government as it tries to showcase a tough new immigration policy.
The UK began moving the asylum seekers onto the Bibby Stockholm, a barge anchored off Dorset on the south coast, earlier this week as part of its high-profile strategy to deter people from arriving in the country on small boats.
The policy was controversial before it got underway. Ministers said they wanted to reduce the cost of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels, while human rights campaigners compared the barge to a prison ship and said its use was in inhumane.
The "Bibby Stockholm" is docked in Portland on the Dorset coast in southern England. Source: AAP, Press Association / Robert Kerr/Alamy Stock Photo
"As a precautionary measure, all 39 asylum seekers who arrived on the vessel this week are being disembarked while further assessments are undertaken."
The hulking three-story barge can house around 500 people in over 200 bedrooms, and more people had been expected to be moved in over the coming weeks.
The bacteria discovered in the water supply can cause Legionnaires' disease, a lung infection that the UK health service describes as uncommon but "very serious".
The government said nobody onboard had presented with symptoms of the disease, and that it was working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and following its advice.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government has spent the week making announcements about its efforts to reduce the number of asylum seekers, hoping to win support from voters as the ruling Conservative Party trails in opinion polls.
Sunak has made cracking down on illegal immigration one of his five main priorities and hopes a fall in arrivals might help his party pull off an unexpected win at the next national election.
The opposition Labour Party said on Friday: "The Conservatives have slogans and gimmicks, but no real solutions."
What is the Bibby Stockholm?
The barge that will be berthed in Portland Port is the first of its kind in the UK and accommodates single men while their asylum claims are processed.
The barge, which is to be operational for at least 18 months, will provide basic accommodation and healthcare, catering facilities and round-the-clock security.
It was previously used by the Netherlands and Germany to house asylum seekers.
Charity group Refugee Council said prior to its opening the barge will be "completely inadequate" for "vulnerable people who have come to our country in search of safety having fled beatings and death threats in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran".
Residents whose claims are refused and have exhausted their appeal rights will be removed from the country, said the government.
Almost 88,000 people have made the crossing of one of the world's busiest waterways since 2018, leading the country's asylum system to become overloaded.
More than 160,000 people were awaiting an asylum decision as of the end of December 2022, with most having waited more than six months, according to official figures.
