A Chinese tourist had an ‘adventure’ he will likely never forget after visiting Germany at the start of a European holiday.
After arriving at Stuttgart Airport in July, he was mistaken for a refugee and ended up in a refugee home for nearly two weeks, according to the Red Cross.
The 31-year-old man had lost his wallet and it was ascertained he ‘needed help,’ Christoph Schluetermann of the German Red Cross said.
He spoke neither German nor English.
He then unwittingly filled out a request for asylum form, following assistance from local authorities, Schluetermann said.
Two days later he was shipped off to a reception centre for refugees and his passport was withheld.
"Machinery kicked into gear from which he couldn’t immediately escape," Schluetermann told DPA news agency.
Eventually staff suspected a mistake may have occurred as the man was unusually well-dressed.
"He acted so differently to other refugees. He kept trying to talk to people to tell his story but no one could understand him. He kept asking to get his passport back, which is the opposite of what most refugees do," Schluetermann said.
Authorities then sought assistance from a Mandarin translation app and it soon became apparent he was merely visiting Europe on holiday.
"It isn’t how I imagined Europe," the unnamed man reportedly said.
