French authorities on Friday grounded a chartered flight en route to Nicaragua carrying over 300 Indian passengers over suspected "human trafficking". A judicial investigation into the conditions and purposes of the trip has been launched, said local officials in the eastern Marne region.
Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Paris was informed about the situation with flight A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, that was going towards Nicaragua from Dubai. "Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers," said the embassy on social media platform X.
Ten facts about the Nicaragua-bound plane incident
- France grounded a Nicaragua-bound Airbus A340 aircraft carrying 303 Indian passengers, which departed from Dubai and landed at the small Vatry airport on Thursday afternoon for a technical stopover when the police intervened, according to Marne prefect's office. The plane is operated by the Romanian company Legend Airlines
- Authorities were tipped off by an anonymous informant and a unit specialising in organised crime is investigating suspicions of human trafficking and arrested two people for questioning, according to the Paris public prosecution office.
- According to French media, the plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- After landing in France, the passengers were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building. The entire airport was cordoned off by police.
- The passengers were transferred into the main hall of the small Vatry airport and arrangements were made for them to stay overnight on Thursday, according to the French administration.
- The passengers and crew remain in the small Vatry airport, where they will spend a second night on Friday on camp cots while the investigation continues, according to an official with the Marne regional administration.
- The Indian embassy team in France has obtained consular access to the passengers of the grounded aircraft and is investigating the case, while ensuring the well-being of the people onboard the aircraft.
- Investigators from a specialised French organised crime unit, border police and aviation gendarmes are working on the case. There is no comment yet from Legend Airlines.
- A lawyer for the firm, Liliana Bakayoko, told French media that the company denies any role in human trafficking and was ready to cooperate with the French authorities. She hoped the plane could be on its way in the next couple of days.
- She said a customer, whom she wouldn’t identify, chartered the plane and was responsible for verifying the identity documents of each passenger. The customer communicated the passenger information to the airline 48 hours before the flight, she said.
(with inputs from Reuters, AP)
