India has granted consular access to passengers on the flight. (representative)
New Delhi:
French police have detained two men a day after they grounded a Nicaragua-bound airliner carrying more than 300 Indian passengers on suspicion of “human trafficking”. Indian authorities have also arrived at the scene and are investigating the situation.
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France on Friday grounded a chartered flight to Nicaragua carrying 303 Indian passengers pending a judicial investigation. An Airbus A340 belonging to Romanian charter company Legend Airlines arrived from the United Arab Emirates and landed at Vatry Airport in eastern France. For a technical stop. This airport is 150 km from Paris and is primarily used by low-cost airlines.
Authorities intervened and stopped the plane after receiving an anonymous tip that some of the passengers were “victims of human trafficking,” Paris prosecutors said.
Two men have been detained and are being questioned by the organized crime unit.
Liliana Bakayoko, a former lawyer for Legend Airlines, told AFP that she believed the airline had done nothing wrong and had not done anything illegal, adding: “It is up to the discretion of the French authorities.” Told. However, she added that the airline would take legal action if prosecutors filed charges.
The passengers of the plane were given consular access by India, and officials arrived at the scene to investigate and ensure the safety of the passengers.
“We have received information from the French authorities that a flight from Dubai to Nicaragua carrying passengers (mostly Indian nationals) had made an emergency stop at a French airport and were detained.The embassy team arrived and went to the consulate. “We are investigating the situation and wishing the passengers good health,” the Indian embassy in France said in a post on X.
Authorities suspect the passengers may have been planning to travel to Central America with the aim of illegally entering the United States or Canada, AFP reported.
After arriving in France, they were initially kept on board the plane, but then removed and given separate beds in the terminal building. “The reception hall at Vatry Airport has been converted into a waiting room with individual beds to provide passengers with the best reception possible,” the governor’s office said.
The 303 Indians spent the night at the airport, but authorities have not yet released an update on when they will be allowed to leave the country.
If a foreigner lands in France and is prevented from traveling to his destination, border police can first detain him for up to four days. Under French law, that period can be extended by eight days if approved by a judge, and by a further eight days in exceptional cases, up to a maximum of 26 days.
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