Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter |
An Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, predominantly Indians, landed in Mumbai, after a four-day detention in France over suspected human trafficking allegations.
A chartered plane carrying 303 Indians to Nicaragua has been retarded on suspicion of human trafficking in France, a stopover, but was released after four days and departed for India.
French authorities received a report that there was a potential human trafficking victim boarded in the plane. So, the France authorities stopped the plane to investigate, but bent on that there were no related charges.
This chartered plane, belonging to a small Romanian airline, had been stuck at Vatry Airport approximately 160 km from Paris, since the 21st before being grounded due to a tip-off that passengers were "likely to be victims of human trafficking." After departing from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the plane stopped at Vatry Airport for refueling and was banned from taking off by the French police.
Afterwards, French authorities set up a temporary court at the airport and held an emergency hearing, detaining two passengers in the process
According to the reports, initially, 25 passengers, including 5 minors, did not board the plane because they applied for refugee status with the French government. These include 20 adults and five minors who have sought asylum in France, said a local official, without identifying their nationality. Their applications would be processed at the Paris airport.
Asylum seekers can't be sent back to their country of origin under international law.
A judiciary official said that all passengers were released after confirming that they all boarded of their own free will, reported by AFP.
“French authorities will continue to investigate this case in relation to violations of immigration laws, but will not look further into allegations of human trafficking”, AFP reported, citing judicial officials.
The Indian Embassy in France said on X (formerly Twitter) that it was grateful for the speedy resolution of this issue.
An official said the passengers were workers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and were likely trying to pass through Nicaragua in Central America to their final destination in the United States or Canada.
