French authorities have detained an aircraft en route to Nicaragua with over 300 Indian passengers due to suspected human trafficking, leading to the interrogation of two individuals by the police, as announced by prosecutors on Friday.
The Paris prosecutor’s office received an anonymous tip-off indicating that the flight, originating from the United Arab Emirates, maybe transporting potential human trafficking victims.
The aircraft in question, an A340, was operated by Legend Airlines, a charter company based in Romania, and was grounded during a refueling stop at Vatry Airport in eastern France.
Officials from the prosecutor’s office are currently conducting identity checks on the 303 passengers and the cabin crew.
Moreover, authorities are closely scrutinizing the conditions of the passengers’ transportation and the purpose of their travel.
Upon the plane’s grounding, passengers were initially held on board but were subsequently relocated to the terminal building, where individual sleeping arrangements were provided.
Local authorities have confirmed that passengers will be staying at the airport overnight on Friday.
The Indian embassy in France released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging that the Paris authorities had informed them of the situation.
The embassy’s statement mentioned that their team had reached the scene and secured consular access.
They also asserted their commitment to investigating the situation while ensuring the well-being of the passengers.
