The family of a migrant who died at the Manston processing centre say they only knew about his death from social media.
On November 19 Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, 31, died at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, after crossing the Channel on a small boat seven days beforehand.
The dad-of-one from Chamchamal in the Kurdistan region of Iraq was intending to seek asylum in the UK.
However tragically he died having been held at a processing centre in Manston near Ramsgate, Kent.
It was revealed that Hussein had contracted diphtheria, which is a hugely contagious bacterial infection.
Speaking to Rudaw Media Network in Iraq, 31-year-old's mum Parwin Ahmed said his family only learnt of his death when they scoured social media for news, after they couldn't get in touch with him.
Parwin is now desperate for his body to be returned to Iraq.
She said: “I do not want anything, just bring my son back.”
Remembering her final conversation with her son, she added: “My son said ‘mother, we will go back to the forest and if they take my phone away, I will call you from another phone."
Hussein's cousin Tariq Jaff, said the 31-year-old was already suffering from poor health prior to reaching the UK.
The dad-of-one, who was married with a seven-year-old daughter, messaged his cousin at 3.29am on November 12 to let him know he was boarding a boat to Britain.
But after wishing him luck on the journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits, Tariq did not receive a response.
The last time the family heard from Hussein was in a text message to his sister's husband.
Tariq said: “In Italy, he had health problems. He suffered from cold and illness. The last time we called him, we could not hear him.
“On November 12, at exactly 3.29 am, I have the messages he sent. He texted me and said that they are getting on a boat and I texted him back and said ‘please, take care of my brother’ and he did not answer back.”
After 11 days of no contact, Hussein's family reportedly learnt via social media that he had died in the UK.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm the identity of the man who died in hospital after being detained at Manston as Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, a 31-year-old, Iraqi national.
“Our thoughts continue to be with his family and all those who have been affected by this loss. The family have been offered support and have requested privacy during this difficult time.”
