UK

Person staying at Manston migrant processing centre in Kent dies in hospital

Person staying at Manston migrant processing centre in Kent dies in hospital

A person staying at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent has died in hospital, the Home Office has said.

They were admitted after becoming unwell and died on Saturday morning.

The Home Office said: “We express our heartfelt condolences to all those affected.

“We take the safety of those in our care extremely seriously and are profoundly saddened by this event.

“A post-mortem examination will take place so it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

The centre has been at the centre of controversy recently.

Earlier this month, there were about 4,000 people on site. It is designed to hold up to 1,600 for no more than 24 hours.

Some migrants were threatening to self-harm and go on hunger strike, with unrest “spreading across the camp”, Sky News was told.

A farmer from Eritrea said he slept on cardboard and was given cold hot dogs for lunch.

Others begged for help via a message in a bottle thrown over the perimeter fence.