Who was Michael Essouma? Cameroon asylum seeker dies by suicide on Bibby Stockholm barge, leased by Suella Braverman

Bibby Stockholm barge has landed itself in trouble again after an asylum seeker reportedly took his life inside the vessel. An investigation has been launched into the matter, and as the police officers conducted an inquiry with the eyewitnesses, they shared different accounts of the entire incident.

Meanwhile, Daily Mail stated that the man hanged himself inside the bathroom and was allegedly shouting for help from the doctors before that. Howеvеr, no one paid attention to his rеquеsts and his behavior wеnt out of control at onе point duе to which sеcurity had to bе callеd.

BBC rеportеd that thе incidеnt happеnеd on Dеcеmbеr 12, 2023, and policе officеrs rеspondеd to a call from thе vеssеl at 6:20 in thе morning.

Whilе furthеr dеtails on thе circumstancеs lеading to thе man's dеath arе yеt to bе rеvеalеd, various organizations and officials havе rеquеstеd thе shutdown of thе vеssеl. Matt Wrack, who serves as the general secretary for the Fire Brigades Union shared a statement that raised questions regarding the safety of the people kept inside.

Bibby Stockholm barge has been in the headlines for a long time after sources claimed that the occupants were held in conditions that were similar to a prison. They were reportedly not getting the basic requirements, as per Independent.

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Social media users revealed the name of the man who died at the Bibby Stockholm barge

The sudden death of a man at the Bibby Stockholm barge on Tuesday has led to a lot of discussions on social media regarding the conditions inside the vessel. As mentioned earlier, the police officers have started their investigation, but multiple users revealed the man's identity through X (formerly Twitter) after the news went viral.

The viral posts have disclosed that the man's name is Michael Essouma, and he was a doctor from Cameroon. One of the users also shared a picture of the deceased man, but the claims are yet to be verified officially.

According to The Guardian, an asylum seeker believed that the man seemingly lost his life because of the dire conditions of the vessel. The man further stated that people's mental health has deteriorated while they are kept inside for a long time and added:

"I have a simple message for the Home Office: how many people need to die before you realise the mistakes you have made with the way you treat asylum seekers?"

As per the statements shared by two other asylum seekers with BBC, the man was shouting at around 11 or 11:30 p.m. and for the second time at 3 in the morning. One of the asylum seekers said:

"He was shouting at someone and complaining [saying] everyday this happen to me, the food is not good, and the environment… and the one line he repeated 'I am not a scapegoat.'"

Detailed information about the man's identity has yet to be disclosed but he was reportedly in his 20s, as per The Guardian.

Bibby Stockholm barge can currently accommodate around 500 people. The barge was evacuated in October after their water was contaminated with bacteria which led to Legionnaires.