- Flight with 300 Indians detained
- Human trafficking investigation in France
- Legend Airlines denies involvement
Those traveling to Nicaragua on the Legend Airlines aircraft domiciled in Romania had originated in the United Arab Emirates. Prosecutors declined to comment on whether they intended to travel to the United States, where the number of Indians crossing the Mexico-US frontier has increased significantly this year.
A flight carrying approximately 300 Indian passengers was detained at a French airport due to an investigation into human trafficking.
Families and children were among those aboard the charter company Legend Airlines aircraft. It was en route from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua, via Romania.
Local civil protection agency said some of the youngsters are unattended, with the smallest being a 21-month-old toddler.
Since Thursday, when it refueled at the small Vatry Airport in the Champagne region of northeast France, the A340 has been grounded following information that passengers may have fallen victim to people traffickers.
The Paris prosecutor’s office reported that special investigators are interrogating the remaining passengers while two individuals are detained.
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Prosecutors refused to comment on the alleged type of trafficking or whether the passengers were likely en route to the United States, where the number of Indians crossing the Mexico-US frontier has increased significantly this year.
Authorities have installed white canvas over the bay windows of the airport to safeguard the privacy of passengers.
Additional flights were canceled or rescheduled due to the airport being designated as the epicenter of an extensive investigation into human trafficking.
Cargo is accommodated on camp cots.
The fifteen crew members have been questioned and released, an airline attorney said, adding that the airline is profoundly disturbed by the incident.
Authorities from the local government report that passengers have been detained at the airport for the past two nights. They have been on makeshift mattresses while the investigation continues.
The administration announced on Saturday that emergency personnel, Red Cross staff, a physician, and local volunteers have been dispatched to the location to attend to the passengers’ requirements. This includes ensuring they have access to clean toilets and showers, regular meals, and medical attention.
The administration stated that a designated area of the terminal has been furnished to accommodate families. Consular representatives from India are making regular visits.
X learned from the Indian Embassy in France that consular staff had granted passengers consular access.
“We are investigating the situation and ensuring the well-being of passengers,” according to the statement.
Airlines deny any involvement in potential human trafficking.
Attorney for Legend Airlines Liliana Bakayoko stated that the airline refutes any involvement in potential human trafficking and hailed the crew’s acquittal from suspicion as a “positive development for the airline.”
Ms. Bakayoko stated that a “partner” company that chartered the aircraft was tasked with authenticating the identity documents of each passenger and provided the airline with the passengers’ passport information forty-eight hours prior to the flight.
She stated that the unidentified customer, who was not a European company, had reserved multiple flights from Dubai to Nicaragua on Legend Airlines, some of which had already completed the trip without incident.
She further stated, “The crew members, who are of various nationalities, are quite traumatized.” “They have written me messages expressing their desire to spend Christmas with their families.”
The Indians’ final destination may not have been the US, but Nicaragua has been a transit hub for migrants. This is due to its lenient or visa-free entry regulations for certain nationalities.
Occasionally, migrants traverse the border via charter flights before embarking on a bus voyage north with the assistance of smugglers.
Record numbers attempt to cross from Mexico to the United States border. Border security has emerged as a central Republican line of attack in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.
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