Family says failure to assess man’s mental health led to his death on Bibby Stockholm

Leonard Farruku was unwell and should not have been moved to barge where he took his own life, say sisters

The family of an asylum seeker who died on the Bibby Stockholm believe he would still be alive today had he been properly assessed and treated before being placed on the barge.

Leonard Farruku, 27, died in the bathroom of his shared cabin onboard the barge on 12 December 2023. He had been moved there weeks earlier, after the then Conservative government began using the Bibby Stockholm to house asylum seekers.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org