Alleged human trafficking plane grounded in France arrives India
An Airbus A340, initially bound for Nicaragua, touched down in Mumbai on Tuesday after being detained at Vatry airport in France over concerns of its involvement in a potential human trafficking scheme.
The aircraft, which had originated from the United Arab Emirates, was held following an anonymous tip-off.
The plane, carrying 303 passengers originally, arrived with 276 individuals in Mumbai, who hastily exited the bustling airport, avoiding questions from the media that had gathered.
Passengers, who spent four hours on the concourse, covered their faces, refusing to disclose details about their journey.
Notably, two individuals were questioned in France over suspected people trafficking but were later released as it was determined that passengers had boarded willingly.
While French authorities continue to investigate for potential immigration law violations, the focus has shifted away from human trafficking.
Surprisingly, 25 passengers, including five minors, sought asylum in France, complicating the aftermath of the incident.
A source close to the inquiry suggested that the passengers were likely workers in the UAE, intending to use Nicaragua as a staging post for journeys to the United States or Canada.
The court’s ruling that further detention of three passengers would be illegal allowed the plane to leave France.
The passengers, hosted at Vatry airport during the investigation, included 11 unaccompanied minors.
The Indian government is yet to issue a statement on the return of the passengers, leaving their fate uncertain.
The Indian embassy in Paris expressed gratitude for the “quick resolution” of the incident on social media.
The crew members, numbering 30, were not detained, with their involvement in handling the Dubai-Vatry leg and the subsequent flight to Nicaragua. The aircraft was operated by the Romanian company Legend Airlines.
Experts, including Manuel Orozco from the Inter-American Dialogue, highlighted the emerging phenomenon of using charter flights for migrants.
Orozco suggested an economic calculation between airline operators and Nicaraguan airport authorities for mutual benefit.
In a broader context, Indian Deputy Foreign Minister V. Muraleedharan revealed that close to 100,000 illegal Indian migrants had attempted to enter the United States this year.
This issue gained public attention last year when four Indians froze to death attempting to cross into the United States from the Canadian border.
Factors contributing to this phenomenon include economic reasons, oppression of minority communities in India, and extreme visa backlogs, according to human rights experts.
The backdrop of unlawful Indian migration is explored in the recently released Bollywood comedy-drama “Dunki,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, shedding light on the perilous journey to the West facilitated by unscrupulous agents and corrupt border officials.
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