German living at Delhi airport since March 18 due to coronavirus-induced flight restrictions

New Delhi, May 11: A German national, who has a criminal record in his home country, has been living in the transit area of the Delhi airport since March 18 due to the flight restrictions induced by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

"A German man was heading from Hanoi to Istanbul via Delhi on March 18. Since India suspended flight operations to and from Turkey on March 18, he got stranded at the Delhi airport's Terminal 3," they said.

Since he has got a criminal record in his home country, he does not want to go there, the officials said.

"Food and other amenities are being provided by the airport officials to him since March 18. He is living in the transit area. The Ministry of Civil Aviation as well as the German Embassy has been informed about it," they noted.

On this issue, the spokesperson for the Delhi airport operator DIAL, said, "We confirm that a foreign national is currently in the transit area of the international terminal of the Delhi airport due to non-availability of regular flight to transit onwards."

The Delhi Airport International Limited (DIAL) spokesperson added, "Appropriate authorities were informed about this in good time. They are in dialogue with the foreign national."

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 67,100 people and killed around 2,200 people till now in the country till now.

All commercial passenger flight operations have been suspended for the lockdown period. Flight operations to some virus-affected countries like Turkey and China were suspended even before March 25.