South African refugee injures himself on board a KLM aircraft

There have been two attempts to deport Justin J. from Germany to South Africa. The first attempt occurred on Monday 26th of July 1999. During the KLM flight from Hamburg to Amsterdam he injured his wrists and throat to such an extent that the Dutch authorities responsible for his case decided to send him back to Hmaburg.

Justin J. left South Africa five years ago, when he was 17, to go and live with his father in Hamburg.

His father is married to a German woman who wants to adopt Justin, however German immigration law only allows children under the age of 16 to be adopted. Justin J. was refused entry to Germany and was taken into custody on the 1st of March 1999. Monday the 26th of July 1999 was the first time that Justin J. was deported on a KLM flight. Upon his return to Hamburg he was once again placed in a placee of custody for foreigners. His father was not informed of his attempted suicide. The family found out about his attempt accidentally and organised support for him. Despite his desperate state of mind another attempt was made on the 2nd of August to deport Justin J. on aboard a KLM aircraft. A doctor had visited Justin J. a few hours earlier and after examining him had declared him fit to travel.

A petition from the Gemeinwesenarbeit St. Pauli-Süd put a stop to the deportation.