An aircraft that was grounded at Vatry airport in Paris on suspicion of human trafficking has departed for Mumbai, according to a statement issued by the Préfet de la Marne. The plane, operated by Romanian firm Legend Airlines, was held at the French airport during a refuelling stopover following an anonymous tip-off suggesting it was being used for human trafficking from the UAE to Nicaragua.
Upon landing, the authorities detained the plane and its 303 passengers for 4 days to conduct investigations. Under French law, foreigners can be held in a transit zone for a maximum of four days for police investigations. An extension of up to eight days is possible but must be decided by a judge.
On this occasion, 25 passengers, including five minors, sought asylum in France and two people were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. However, the case for human trafficking was later dropped, largely due to the fact that ‘people had boarded the plane voluntarily’. As reported by Le Monde, the two detained individuals were subsequently released, whereas those who had made asylum claims are being processed as per standard asylum procedures at the border.
The Indian Embassy in France praised the French government and Vatry Airport for their cooperation in a tweet, stating that they were appreciative of the swift resolution of the situation, which enabled Indian passengers to return home. They were also grateful for the close collaboration with embassy staff and the care taken to ensure the welfare and safe return of all those on board.
The plane was released on the morning of Sunday and made its way back to India by Monday.