France Grounds Aircraft Carrying 303 Indians Over Suspected 'Human Trafficking' (representational image @ Pixabay)
France has grounded a Nicaragua-bound charter flight on Friday over suspected human trafficking. The plane carried more than 303 Indians. Two people were said to be arrested as per news agency AFP. Indian Embassy in France said probe on the situation is under process.
The aircraft was grounded after receiving an anonymous tipoff, said the Paris prosecutors. According to media report, the plane taken off from United Arab Emirates and a judicial investigation into the situation is issued. A unit specialising in organised crime is looking into the suspected human trafficking.
“French authorities informed us of a plane w/303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport”, said the Indian Embassy in France through their X (formerly twitter) page.
French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers.
— India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 22, 2023
The flight, A340, operated by a Romanian charter company took off from Dubai and took a technical stopover at Vatry airport, when the police intervened. At first, the passengers were allowed to remain in the flight, but later, the airport’s arrival lounge was made waiting area with beds, said police.
Several people were confined to airport which was sealed off by the police after launching the investigation. Some of the passengers were said to be illegal migrants, said BBC citing local officials. The case was then taken over by France’s National Anti-organised Crime Unit JUNALCO.
