German man living for 54 days (and counting) in transit area of Delhi’s locked down international airport

A German man has been living in the transit terminal of Delhi’s international airport for almost eight weeks after he was left stranded by India’s decision to suspend all commercial flights.

The 40-year-old man, named in reports as Edgard Ziebat, landed in Delhi on 18 March for what should have been an hours-long layover between Hanoi and Istanbul – when all international flights to and from India were abruptly cancelled to stem the spread of coronavirus.

A national lockdown followed on 24 March, and 54 days later Mr Ziebat is still living off his luggage in the transit lounge. Indian media have compared the situation to that of Tom Hanks’ character in the 2004 Steven Spielberg film The Terminal.

Airport officials have provided Mr Ziebat with what were described as “basic amenities” – toothbrush, toothpaste, mosquito repellent, a recliner to sleep on and some changes of clothes.

He has been almost entirely alone for most of the period he has spent in transit, occupying his time reading newspapers and magazines, speaking to family and friends over the phone, taking walks in the terminal and chatting with cleaning and security staff, an official told the Hindustan Times, which first reported the story.

Four other passengers were in a similar situation in transit when the flights were first cancelled – two Sri Lankans, one Philippine and one citizen of the Maldives.

After around a week, when it became apparent the freeze on international travel would be a long one, special arrangements were made for the other passengers by their respective countries. They were allowed into India, and taken to hotels for quarantine.

But a problem arose when inquiries were made about either admitting Mr Ziebat into India or getting him on board one of a number of evacuation flights to Germany.

According to the Times, Mr Ziebat has a criminal record in his own country involving “several cases of assault and other charges”. Germany reportedly didn’t want to take him, and India would be unlikely to grant him a visa on the same basis.

India did make inquiries with Turkey about whether he could join an evacuation flight to Istanbul, but Turkish officials said those flights were reserved only for nationals and permanent residents of that country.

So for now, Mr Ziebat remains stranded in transit. He was also said to be being watched closely by immigration officials the airport’s CCTV system, and security officials were quoted as saying there was a brief health scare when the traveller started to appear unwell mid-April, around four weeks into his ordeal.

Several officials went to meet him and found him “fine, physically and mentally”, but since then he has been receiving regular checks by officers “just to get an idea of his wellbeing”, an official said.

It is understood that since the four fellow travellers in transit departed, Mr Ziebat has not crossed paths with any other passengers.

India embarked last week on a massive operation to bring home its nationals stranded abroad by coronavirus, and since the beginning of its own lockdown has facilitated evacuations for citizens of many other nations.

But it is not thought that any of these operations have involved passengers passing through the part of the transit terminal where Mr Ziebat has been staying.

A Delhi airport spokesperson confirmed to The Independent that “a foreign national is stuck at the airport” and directed further questions on his wellbeing to immigration officials and the German embassy.

In a statement, the airport said: “We confirm that a foreign national is currently in the transit area of the international terminal of Delhi airport due to non-availability of regular flights to transit onwards. Appropriate authorities were informed about this in good time. They are in dialogue with the foreign national.”

Mr Ziebat could not immediately be reached for an interview, and the German embassy in Delhi did not respond to a request for comment.