A Romanian aircraft, carrying 275 passengers, predominantly Indians, departed for India from a Paris airport four days after being detained by French authorities over suspected human trafficking. The Nicaragua-bound charter flight had originated from Dubai and was grounded at Vatry airport, east of Paris, on Thursday. The French authorities allowed the A340 aircraft, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, to continue its journey on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.
The Indian embassy took to X and posted, "Thank French Gov and Vatry Airport for quick resolution of the situation enabling Indian passengers to return home & hospitality. Also for working closely with embassy team, present throughout at the site to ensure welfare and smooth & safe return. Thank agencies in India, too."
The departure, initially scheduled for 10 a.m., was delayed as some passengers resisted returning to their home countries. The plane is expected to land in the UAE before proceeding to Mumbai, PTI reported.
According to the airline's lawyer, Liliana Bakayoko, 26 passengers remain in France, and two were brought before a judge. Bakayoko mentioned that some passengers were reluctant to return, particularly those aiming to continue their journey to Nicaragua. "Some of the passengers would be unhappy with this return because they wanted to continue their journey to Nicaragua as planned," reported French news network BFMTV, as per PTI.
Some reports suggest that nearly four dozen passengers had filed asylum applications. Two passengers are not authorised to leave and may face charges, according to 'Le Monde' newspaper.
The lawyer expressed relief at the departure and noted that the company would cooperate with investigators, seeking damages due to significant harm suffered. On Sunday, the airport became a makeshift courtroom, and French judges questioned the detained passengers as part of the investigation into suspected human trafficking. After authorising the plane to leave, the judges canceled the hearings on Sunday due to irregularities in the procedure, as per PTI's report.
The passengers include a 21-month-old child and 11 unaccompanied minors. Police custody measures for two passengers were lifted on Monday, who were initially taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in an illegal immigration ring. The Public Prosecutor's Office has opened a judicial investigation for aiding illegal entry and stay of foreigners and participation in a criminal association, the report stated.
The airline's lawyer denied involvement in trafficking, stating that a partner company responsible for chartering the plane verified passengers' identity documents and communicated passport information 48 hours before the flight. Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France, PTI reported.
According to PTI, while reports suggest that the travel may have been planned by Indian passengers to reach Central America and attempt illegal entry into the United States or Canada, an anonymous tip indicated that passengers were "likely to be victims of human trafficking" in an organised gang.
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