An Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, predominantly Indians, landed in Mumbai after a four-day detention in France over suspected human trafficking allegations.
The flight departed from Vatry Airport near Paris at around 2:30 pm local time.
French authorities confirmed that 276 passengers boarded the plane for the flight, while 27 individuals, including five minors, stayed in France seeking asylum. Upon landing in Vatry on Friday, it was discovered that there were 11 unaccompanied minors among the 303 passengers.
During the four-day ordeal in Vatry, stranded passengers were provided makeshift beds, access to toilets and showers, as well as meals and hot drinks in the airport halls.
The flight's connection to Nicaragua raised concerns, given the surge in individuals seeking asylum in the United States from the Central American nation. US Customs and Border Patrol data revealed a significant increase in Indians attempting to enter the US illegally in the fiscal year 2023, reaching 96,917—a 51.61 percent jump from the previous year.
The flight, a charter service from Dubai, had landed at Vatry airport for refueling, approximately 160 km from Paris, before being grounded due to a tip-off that passengers were "likely to be victims of human trafficking." Sources suggest the plane may be linked to a crime syndicate attempting to smuggle individuals into the United States. The investigation is now under the jurisdiction of France's anti-organized crime unit, JUNALCO. If proven, human trafficking carries severe consequences in France, with a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
Over two dozen passengers on board the charter plane held in France for days over suspected human trafficking stayed back despite the aircraft flying out to Mumbai after legal clearances. 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.
