This is the moment two asylum-seekers threatened to jump off a building at an ex-RAF base that had been converted to an accommodation site.
The shocking scenes come amid warnings of a ‘mental health crisis’ at the RAF Wethersfield site amidst a rise in self-harm and suicide attempts.
There were between five and 10 suicide attempts and 10 incidents of self-harm in January 2024 alone at the site in Essex, according to charities operating on the site.
But Home Secretary James Cleverly rejected the claims and suggested the asylum-seekers weren’t telling the truth about their mental state in a bid to get relocated.
The video of asylum-seekers threatening to jump comes after the site has undergone other controversies including claims fights break out every night with refugees even staging a protest over the ‘prison-like’ conditions in November.
A shocking video showed the moment two asylum-seeker’s threatened to jump off a building at an ex-RAF base
Another clip in the video shows security guards arguing with some asylum-seekers
Wethersfield is the current home of 580 people and is one of a number of mass accommodation sites being used alongside hotels to house asylum seekers while they wait for their claim to be processed
In the video, obtained by ITV News, the asylum-seekers are seen standing on the third floor of a building claiming they are preparing to jump while emergency services surround them.
The men are eventually talked down from the ledge by security guards.
Another clip in the video shows one man collapse from a hunger strike getting wheeled from the site in a stretcher.
While another shocking scene shows a man claiming to have fled the Taliban allege ‘everyone just wanted to kill themselves’.
Wethersfield is the current home of 580 people and is one of a number of mass accommodation sites being used alongside hotels to house asylum seekers while they wait for their claim to be processed.
Due to their remote location away from local communities they have proved controversial.
Other sites include the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset which has been operating since last summer. In December, asylum seeker Leonard Farruku was found dead on the Bibby Stockholm, with police confirming there were no suspicious circumstances.
The Wethersfield asylum seekers previously said the base is ‘like a prison’
In November about 40 men demonstrated outside MDP Wethersfield in Essex over their living conditions
Scuffles between different migrant groups are alleged to be a regular occurrence, an asylum seeker at Wethersfield said
Another former RAF base in Scampton will soon open, along with former student accommodation in Huddersfield.
Most of the men in the sites have arrived in the UK from small boats, and are currently stuck in limbo, as the government’s new Illegal Migration Act means the Home Office won’t consider the claims of those who arrive in the UK via small boats.
One asylum seeker spent over six months at Wethersfield before being removed because of his deteriorating mental health.
The 25-year-old man, who asked to remain anonymous, came over to the UK in a small boat in September 2023 after fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan. He fled after the Taliban shot him and killed his brother.
He told ITV News: ‘I was thinking we’re in prison, we’re coming to the prison. What did we do wrong?.
He told the channel about how his mental health had worsened while he was at the site.
Despite never having any previous mental health issues, he was diagnosed with depression at Wethersfield, and even tried to take his own life by jumping from a window.
‘I tried because I was very depressed,’ he said.
Wethersfield’s costs have also spiraled to more than 10 times the size that was originally planned.
The National Audit Office (NAO) said in March the Home Office originally estimated set-up costs would be £5 million, but they increased to £49 million.
Asylum seekers had have also been housed in the Bibby Stockholm barge (pictured)
Leonard Farruku, a 27-year-old Albanian, was found unresponsive on board the Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland Port, Dorset, on December 12
The Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset, where Mr Farruku died in December
The Home Office states Wethersfield has on-site healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider which is run by health care professionals who are able to prescribe medication.
Officials argue Wethersfield is not a detained site and asylum seekers are free to come and go.
There is also a regular transport service in place to take residents to larger local cities.
They point out the accommodation meets all relevant housing and health and safety standards.
There is also communal spaces, including faith and worship facilities and a large gymnasium to allow for recreational and sporting activity.
The food provided meets NHS Eatwell standards and responds to all cultural and dietary requirements.
A Home Office spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We take the safety and welfare of those at Wethersfield extremely seriously.
‘Welfare officers are on site round the clock and all residents have access to a GP service delivered by a local healthcare provider including mental health support. A 24/7 helpline provided by Migrant Help is available to raise any concerns.’
For free, confidential help from Samaritans call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
