A flight bound for Nicaragua carrying 303 passengers, primarily of Indian origin, was permitted to resume its journey after being detained by French authorities at a Paris-area airport for three days on suspicion of “human trafficking,” as reported by international media on Sunday.
Following the authorization for the A340 aircraft, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, to depart, French judges opted to cancel hearings for the passengers, citing irregularities in the procedure, according to BFM TV, a French news broadcast television and radio network.
Earlier on the same day, four French judges initiated questioning for the passengers, who had been detained at Vatry airport, located 150 km east of Paris, since Thursday. The investigation, prompted by the Paris prosecutor’s office, centers on suspicions of human trafficking, PTI reported.
The plane was scheduled to take off again on Monday morning, with its destination yet to be determined. Possibilities include travel to India, the passengers’ origin, Nicaragua, its original destination, or Dubai, from where it initially departed.
Reports from French media suggest that among the passengers, some spoke Hindi and others Tamil, reaching out to their families by phone. Ten passengers have sought asylum, as disclosed by a source familiar with the case, the report said.
The aircraft, owned by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, includes 11 unaccompanied minors. Two passengers, held in custody since Friday, had their detention extended for up to 48 hours on Saturday evening, according to French prosecutors.
Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer for Legend Airlines, denied any involvement in trafficking, stating that a “partner” company responsible for chartering the plane verified passengers’ identity documents and shared passport information with the airline 48 hours before the flight.
Human trafficking in France carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years. India’s embassy in France confirmed its presence at the airport near Paris to oversee the welfare of Indian nationals and expressed gratitude to French authorities for their efforts in seeking an “early resolution.”
