After being grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking, a charter plane with 276 passengers mostly Indian passengers has safely landed in Mumbai. Footage captured at the Mumbai airport depicts passengers leaving the premises after completing necessary formalities.

Local officials report that when the flight arrived at France's Vatry airport, it carried 303 Indian passengers, including 11 minors. Among them, 25 individuals, including two minors, have expressed the intention to apply for asylum and remain on French soil, according to information provided by the French authorities.

Those who chose to stay were relocated to a designated area at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers, as reported by the news agency AP. Simultaneously, two individuals were apprehended, brought before a judge in France, subsequently released, and granted assisted witness status, according to a French news channel.

The departure of the flight was delayed due to some passengers expressing a desire to stay on French soil rather than return to their country of origin, as per local media reports.

The Indian Embassy in France, through their official handle, acknowledged collaboration with embassy officials to facilitate the safe and smooth return of passengers. In a post on X, the embassy expressed gratitude to the French Government and Vatry Airport for the prompt resolution, ensuring the passengers' welfare and a secure return. They also extended thanks to relevant agencies in India for their cooperation.

French police intervened when an aircraft operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, en route from Dubai to Nicaragua, made a technical stopover at Vatry. Acting on an anonymous tip suggesting potential human trafficking victims on board, authorities initiated a judicial inquiry over the next three days. The plane, along with its passengers, remained in France during this period as investigators probed the intent of the journey.

Officials from the Marne region converted the reception hall at Vatry Airport into a waiting area, providing individual beds for the passengers. The Indian Embassy in France expressed gratitude to the French government and Vatry Airport authorities for their hospitality and swift resolution of the situation, facilitating the return of Indian passengers to their homeland.

According to BFMTV, Liliana Bakayoko, the lawyer for the airline, acknowledged the initial confusion when some passengers declined to return to their country of origin. The French news broadcast television and radio network reported that certain passengers were displeased with the return, as they intended to proceed with their journey to Nicaragua as planned.

The lawyer expressed relief, stating, "We were impatiently waiting for this." She affirmed that the company remains available for investigators and intends to seek damages from its client due to the substantial harm incurred.

News reports suggest that the travel may have been orchestrated to enable passengers to reach the Central American country, with the potential intention of attempting illegal entry into the United States or Canada.

As per the report, a considerable number of Indians, totaling 96,917 in 2023, have made illegal entry attempts into the United States, with Nicaragua emerging as a popular destination for those seeking asylum in the US. However, Liliana Bakayoko, the lawyer for Legend Airlines, countered this by stating that some passengers were reluctant to return to India as they had paid for a tourism trip to Nicaragua.

Image source: AP News