Fundraiser for man who died on migrant barge hits target

Leonard Farruku was found unresponsive on board the vessel on 12 December

The sister of an Albanian man who died on the Bibby Stockholm barge has thanked the public after a fundraising appeal to repatriate his body nearly doubled its target of £10,000.

Leonard Farruku, 27, was found unresponsive on board the vessel at Portland Port, Dorset, on 12 December.

His sister, Jola Dushku, said the family faced the "double tragedy" of his death and not being able to afford to bring his body home for a funeral.

But a GoFundMe page she set up has raised more than £18,000. Ms Dushku said the "generosity" was "a strong demonstration of the people's humanity in the UK" that would "be in my heart for the rest of my life".

An inquest was previously told there were no suspicious circumstances concerning the death and the case was adjourned for a full hearing at a later date.

Mr Farruku's body has remained at a Dorset mortuary.

Tributes to Mr Farruku were left in the aftermath of his death

On the fundraising page, set up on Tuesday, Ms Dushku said her brother's life "ended unimaginably for all of us while in the UK".

After passing the initial target, she posted on Wednesday: "I cannot thank enough all the people from the UK, the Albanian community in the UK, and all Albanians worldwide for their generosity in helping us to secure the necessary money... to bring back home the body of my brother."

The barge can house up to 500 people

She went on: "Your kindness and generosity will be in my heart for the rest of my life and bring to our family the same sort of comfort now being able to repatriate his body.

"It's a strong demonstration of the people's humanity in the UK compared to the Home Office not willing to help for the body of my brother to be repatriated in Albania."

It is understood the Home Office only pays for repatriation following a death in detained detention, which it says does not cover the Bibby Stockholm as the residents are able to leave at will.

A spokesperson said the death "was a tragic incident" and the "welfare of all those in our care is of the utmost importance".

The barge is a flagship part of the government's plan to cut the cost of housing asylum seekers and deter dangerous Channel crossings by migrants.

But some critics have described conditions on board as "prison-like".