A plane carrying several Indian passengers detained near Paris due to suspected human trafficking is free to leave today, a French court ruled on Sunday. But it is not clear if the plane will return to India.
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The Nicaragua-bound charter plane has 303 passengers, mostly Indians and at least 11 unaccompanied minors. An anonymous tip-off that they were potential victims of human trafficking led to its grounding at Vatry airport when it arrived from Dubai for refuelling.
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Prosecutors yesterday allowed the Airbus A340 to leave France after questioning the passengers for two days, the local prefecture said, adding that a full approval for their departure is expected today.
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Francois Procureur, head of the local bar association, said at a press conference that the passengers would be flown to India. But the destination was not mentioned in the local prefecture’s statement. Neither has it been confirmed by Indian authorities.
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The plane is likely to depart around 10 am (2:30 pm IST), a local report quoted Liliana Bakayoko, lawyer for the Romanian company Legend Airlines, as saying. The plane is likely to take off for Mumbai with about 200-250 passengers, she said. Those not in the police custody and who have not applied for asylum are likely to leave, said the report.
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French courts have the authority to extend detention of foreign nationals held in the country on arrival. Four judges questioned the passengers yesterday, but cancelled some hearings due to irregularities in the procedure after allowing the plane to leave. French media suggest some of the passengers spoke Hindi and others Tamil.
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The Indians were likely workers in UAE who were heading for Nicaragua on their way to the US or Canada, news agency AFP had reported quoting a source who had knowledge about the inquiry. They were stopped on the way in Vatry in eastern France, about 150 km from Paris. The airport serves mostly budget airlines.
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The Paris prosecutor said the action came after an anonymous tip-off that some of the passengers on board the plane were “victims of human trafficking”. Two men were detained for questioning by a specialised unit.
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The Indian embassy in France had yesterday said they obtained consular access and were assessing the situation. It said it was working with the French government for the welfare of the stranded Indian passengers.
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The stranded passengers were provided makeshift beds and access to toilets and showers, besides meals and hot drinks at the Vatry airport, an official said. Reports suggest about four dozen passengers have even sought asylum.
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The Legend Airlines lawyer had said the company believed it had done nothing wrong, committed no offence “and is at the disposal of the French authorities”. She added that the company “will seek damages from its client because it has suffered significant harm”.
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