Asylum seekers moving onto the Bibby Stockholm migrant boat have likened the conditions to the notorious Alcatraz prison.
The boat, located at Portland in Dorset, has room to accommodate up to 500 people. But one of the first people to move onto it told the BBC it felt like a prison.
The Home Office however says the barge will provide better value for the public purse. It comes as the number of small boats arriving at the British coast continues to grow.
The Bibby Stockholm is the first barge secured under Rishi Sunak’s plan to reduce the cost of asylum seekers. The first 15 people moved onto the barge on Monday, after a series of delayed related to safety.
The boat will house men aged between 18 and 65. They will be there while their immigration applications are processed by the Home Office.
An Afghan asylum seeker has now opened up to the BBC about how he found the barge. He said: “The sound of locks and security checks gives me the feeling of entering Alcatraz prison.
“My roommate panicked in the middle of the night and felt like he was drowning. There are people among us who have been given heavy drugs for depression by the doctor here.”
He claimed they have each been given a small room. The man also believes the dining area has room for fewer than 150 people at a time.
The barge has 24/7 security in place with each resident issued with ID swipe cards. They have to pass through airport-style security scans to get on and off the boat.
Due to security reasons, a shuttle bus takes asylum seekers the port exit. There is no curfew, however is they are not back there will be a “welfare call”.
The Home Office has said it would support their welfare by providing basic healthcare, organised activities and recreation. With 15 people already housed on the Bibby Stockholm, the Care4Calais charity says it is supporting another 15 who refused to move to Portland.