Plane Carrying 300 Indian Passengers From Dubai Detained in France Over 'Human Trafficking'

A Nicaragua-bound plane carrying 303 Indian passengers flying from Dubai, which stopped at Vatry airport in France for refuelling, was detained by local authorities on suspicion of human trafficking, authorities said on Friday.

The Indian Embassy in Paris received an email regarding the detention, according to top government sources.

A Romanian airline’s Chartered plane flew from Fujera airport in UAE carrying 303 Indian passengers was halted at Vatry airport in France for refuelling. The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne said the A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, “remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing”.

Indian authorities asked for consular access which was granted, following which, a team was dispatched from Paris to Vatry airport, which will be able to meet the detained passengers by Saturday.

According to government sources, it is believed that poor villagers from Punjab and Gujrat wanted to enter the USA through Nicaragua. In consular access, it was found that the passengers were mostly Gujarati and Punjabi who were tutored that they were travelling for tourism.

Nicaragua is a popular illegal route to enter the USA after the Mexican side was closed.

Indian authorities are trying for their deportation so that they are not charged and sent to jail.

According to an AFP report, the aircraft was detained on Thursday after an anonymous tipoff saying the passengers aboard the plane were “likely to be victims of human trafficking”, Paris prosecutors said.

The national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, they added.

The Indian Embassy in France released a statement saying they are investigating the situation while ensuring the well-being of passengers

“French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly of Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. The embassy team has reached and obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, and also ensuring the well-being of passengers,” an X post by the Indian High Commission in France said.