 Government ministers are considering sending migrants to tiny Ascension Island for processing as a 'plan B' if their Rwanda plans never get off the ground, according to reports. The remote island, located halfway between Africa and South America in the South Atlantic Ocean, was originally floated as a potential site for the asylum centre by Priti Patel three years ago. Those plans have now reportedly been revived as efforts to fly migrants to Rwanda continue to be hit by legal setbacks. Ascension Island is a British Overseas Territory, which is 34 square miles in size and located around 4,000 miles away. It has no indigenous or permanent population, with all residents either employees or their families. The latest proposals comes as the first migrants are expected to be housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland Port, Dorset. Around 50 people are expected to be among the initial group who may board later today. The barge, which will hold 500 men aged between 18 and 65, has been sitting empty since it was first brought to the port three weeks ago due to health and safety concerns. The barge has now been docked in Portland for three weeks (Picture: Getty Images) Dozens of human rights organisations and campaigners, including the Refugee Council and the Institute for Race Relations, signed an open letter last month saying the barge plans were 'cruel and inhumane'. The firefighters' union warned concerns over overcrowding and access to fire exits would make the Bibby Stockholm a 'potential deathtrap'. However, immigration minister Robert Jenrick offered a guarantee that it is a 'safe facility' and said it would welcome its first occupants 'in the coming days'. Robert Jenrick has said the Bibby Stockholm barge is completely safe (Picture: Shutterstock) The developments as the government's 'small boats week' begins, with several announce){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Government ministers are considering sending migrants to tiny Ascension Island for processing as a ‘plan B’ if their Rwanda plans never get off the ground, according to reports.
The remote island, located halfway between Africa and South America in the South Atlantic Ocean, was originally floated as a potential site for the asylum centre by Priti Patel three years ago.
Those plans have now reportedly been revived as efforts to fly migrants to Rwanda continue to be hit by legal setbacks.
Ascension Island is a British Overseas Territory, which is 34 square miles in size and located around 4,000 miles away.