After being grounded for four days at France’s Vatry Airport over a suspected human trafficking investigation, a passenger plane carrying 303 Indians to Nicaragua has been allowed to leave. The Airbus A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, is expected to transport many stranded passengers back to India on Monday, as confirmed by the airline’s lawyer Liliana Bakayoko.
Local authorities, working through Christmas Eve, addressed formalities to permit some passengers to leave the small Vatry Airport, located in Champagne country. All passengers, including an infant, had been confined to the airport terminal since Thursday.
Two passengers were detained as part of a French investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group. Some passengers sought asylum in France, and 11 unaccompanied minors were put under special administrative care.
The incident unfolded on Thursday when the Airbus A340, en route to Nicaragua from Dubai, was held at Vatry Airport for refueling. An anonymous tip-off suggested potential human trafficking victims on board.
The Indian embassy in Paris worked with French authorities for the welfare of detained passengers and an early resolution of the situation. The crew, comprising 30 members, was not detained, with the plane’s seizure order lifted on Sunday morning.
Emergency hearings, conducted in the makeshift courtroom at the airport, aimed to determine whether to extend the passengers’ sequestration. Disputes over procedures temporarily halted the hearings, and a decision on the next steps was anticipated overnight.
Legend Airlines lawyer Liliana Bakayoko expressed hope that the plane could depart for Mumbai on Monday with as many passengers as possible. Approximately 280 passengers are expected to leave, but the exact figure remained unconfirmed.
Despite local officials, medics, and volunteers providing facilities for the stranded passengers, concerns were raised about the overall handling of the situation. Foreigners can be held for up to four days in a transit zone in France for police investigations, after which a special judge must rule on whether to extend the detention.
The situation remains under close scrutiny, considering the potential humanitarian implications and the nature of the alleged trafficking, with the passengers’ ultimate destination yet to be confirmed.
