ICERAS

After fleeing his native Eritrea as a child and living for years as a refugee, Henok Zaid Gebrsslasie hoped to make a life for himself in the UK. Aged 23, he was found dead at a mental health facility in Coventry, West Midlands, and is thought to have taken his own life. His death is one of a growing number among young asylum seekers which a charity said could just be the “tip of the iceberg”.

Henok was a friendly and kind, football-loving young man, according to his brother.

“If someone was in distress or needed help, he would be the first to jump in to offer it,” said Tewelde Zaid.

Always the joker, the 23-year-old was also seen by friends as a very honest and principled man.

Having fled Eritrea as a 14-year-old boy to avoid persecution and compulsory military service, he had crossed the border to Sudan where he lived for some time as a refugee.

But he dreamed of a life in the UK. Travelling solo through the Sahara Desert and Libya, he made it over the Mediterranean and eventually arrived in Coventry in May 2020, aged 21.

“He went through a lot of pain on that journey, but he never gave up. He was always hopeful that one day he would find a safe place to stay,” said Mr Zaid.

He describes being called by his “ecstatic” brother on his arrival in the UK.

“[He was] so hopeful after so much trouble of his journey,” he said. readmore