A quadriplegic man, who became a symbol of the right-to-die debate in France, has died after doctors removed his feeding tubes, his family says, reports BBC News.
Vincent Lambert, 42, had been in a persistent vegetative state since a motorcycle accident 11 years ago.
Doctors began taking him off life support last week after a final ruling by France's highest appeals court.
Euthanasia is illegal in France, but doctors are allowed to put terminally ill patients into deep sedation.
Mr Lambert's case divided both the country and his own family, sparking demonstrations on the streets of Paris.
His nephew said he had died at 8.24am on Thursday, nine days after his feed was removed.
On July 2nd, the Court of Cassation in France overturned an earlier appeal court ruling to allow doctors to stop feeding Mr Lambert, who was a former psychiatric nurse.
A medical team at the Sébastopol Hospital in the northern city of Reims then began removing his feeding tubes, while ensuring a "profound and continuous sedation".
Mr Lambert's parents, who had battled to keep their son alive, were told there could be no further appeal and said on Monday they were "resigned" to accepting his death.
His father, Pierre Lambert, 90, had earlier described the court decision as "murder in disguise" and "euthanasia".
But Mr Lambert's wife and others argued that the humane course was to let him die.
Back in 2008, Mr Lambert was involved in a near-fatal road accident that left him in a quadriplegic state of paralysis and with minimal consciousness.
Doctors said the brain damage he had suffered was irreversible.
He was kept alive with food and water delivered through a gastric tube, but was able to breathe without artificial aid and he occasionally opened his eyes.