News Brief
Plane Carrying Over 300 Indians Allowed To Leave France, May Land In Mumbai Today
Airbus A330neo during its first flight on 19 October 2017 in Toulouse, France. (Alex Cheban/Wikimedia Commons)
On Sunday (24 December), a passenger plane, which was held at France's Vatry Airport in Champagne country for a human trafficking investigation, was granted permission to depart after four days.
The aircraft was carrying 303 Indian passengers to Nicaragua.
The Indian embassy in Paris announced on Saturday via X that their consular staff were collaborating with French authorities to ensure the welfare of detained passengers, aiming for a swift resolution.
None of the 30 crew members were held back. A few of them were assigned to the Dubai-Vatry segment, while the others were scheduled to take charge of the journey to Managua, according to a report from Hindustan Times.
Liliana Bakayoko, the attorney for Legend Airlines, expressed the company's hope that the aircraft could depart for Mumbai on Monday, carrying as many passengers as it can.
The prosecutors revealed that 11 passengers were unaccompanied minors, who were subsequently placed under specific administrative care.
The Airbus A340, heading to Nicaragua with Indian passengers, was detained at Vatry airport, located 150 kilometres east of Paris, upon its arrival from Dubai, UAE, for a refuelling stop on Thursday.
The intervention was prompted by an anonymous tip-off suggesting the plane was transporting potential victims of human trafficking.
During the investigation, the flight's passengers were accommodated at the airport. The local prefecture stated that beds, bathrooms, and showers were set up for their convenience.
Meanwhile, the police barred media personnel and other outsiders from gaining access to the airport.
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