Migrants living on the Bibby Stockholm barge have expressed concerns about conditions on board the vessel.
One said that residents may harm themselves unless there are changes to the “prison-like” conditions, cold showers and unreliable Wi-Fi.
Yusuf Deen Kargbo, from Sierra Leone, is the roommate of Leonard Farruku, an Albanian asylum seeker suspected of taking his own life.
Farruku had been heard shouting and banging on the wall of his cabin, according to other migrants. His death is being investigated by Dorset police and coroner.
Bibby Stockholm barge
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Kargbo said: "They’re saying this [Farruku’s death] is just the beginning...They are trying to give a warning, that this place is not good for them. Every day their stress is increasing, getting worse.
"[People on the barge] don’t have any hope for their lives."
Kargbo told BBC News he shared a room with Farruku, 27, for around 10 days before his death on December 12.
He said: "Sometimes he would be sitting alone. He was a very quiet person. He liked to be by himself, sitting alone playing with his phone.
"I heard him laughing on his phone, sometimes until one or two o’clock at night, I thought he was maybe watching a comedy video on his phone, having a fun time."
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Flowers are left at the entrance at Portland Port in Dorset
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Farruku was born in the village of Manez, 20 miles from the city of Durres, the second biggest in Albania.
He came to Britain in 2022 with the dream of getting a job and building a new life by securing indefinite leave to remain.
Kargbo said that, on December 11, Farruku left the cabin after breakfast and returned at around 6pm, adding: “He just said to me ‘hello’ and went directly to the bathroom.
"He said he then left to have dinner and to pray. When he returned to the room, the bathroom was locked.
“When I knocked, I thought there was no one in the bathroom. I knock, no answer. Knock, knock, no answer. I said ‘hello’ but I had no answer.”
It wasn’t until the next morning, when Kargbo found the bathroom was still locked and Farruku’s bed had not been slept in, that he tried to raise the alarm.
People entering the Bibby Stockholm barge
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Last month, at the opening of his inquest, Dorset’s coroner heard Farruku’s cause of death was neck compression as a result of hanging.
The coroner told the hearing there were no suspicious circumstances and no evidence that anybody else was involved.
The inquest has been adjourned ahead of a full hearing set to be held later this year.
In a statement, the Home Office said it takes the welfare of those in its care "very seriously" and it has “rigorous safeguarding processes in place."
They added: "Any concerns raised about the service delivered on the barge are swiftly addressed through our work with the provider, and Migrant Help 24/7 is also available every day of the year."
