Have you guys seen the 2004 movie, “The Terminal” starring Tom Hanks? If you haven’t, here’s a little synopsis of what the movie is about. The movie is set in an airport where Tom’s character Victor Navorski is forced to live in due to conflict in his home country which resulted in his Visa no longer being valid.
The movie is partially inspired by an actual true story of the 18-year stay of Mehran Karimi Nasseri in Terminal 1 of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, France, from 1988 to 2006. Sadly, it has been reported that the Iranian man passed away at the same airport he was stuck in. Here’s the full story:
Mehran Karimi Nasseri was an Iranian refugee who lived in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. The stateless man claimed that he was expelled from Iran due to political conflict but his claims were later disputed with investigations showing that he was never expelled in the first place.
The refugee allegedly lost his official documents to travel back thus him being stuck at the airport for 18 years. Both France and Belgium offered him residency but he refused, saying that he just wanted to go to his original destination which was England. He was later hospitalised after falling ill in 2006 which ended his 18-year stay. He has since lived in a shelter in France and received money from the movie(s) that were inspired by his life.
A spokesperson for Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport told reporters that Mehran returned to live at the airport at Terminal 2F a few weeks ago, 16 years after his last stay. It was confirmed by the airport medical team that he died of a heart attack. He was 76 years old. The homeless man was reported to have several thousand euros on him when he passed.
It is currently unknown why he returned to the airport he was previously stuck in after living in a shelter in France for 16 years. Mehran Karimi Nasseri’s iconic life was memorialised in movies, stage plays and documentaries such as “The Terminal”, “Flight”, “Lost in Translation” and “Sir Alfred of Charles De Gaulle Airport”.
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