In a recent shocking incident, the French authorities grounded a flight headed to Nicaragua. About 300 Indian passengers were on that plane flying to their destination. The Nicaragua-bound flight was the Airbus A340 of Legend Airlines. The reason behind grounding the plane at the Vatry airport in France on December 22, 2023, was a suspicion of human trafficking. Here’s all you need to know about this unexpected incident occurring on Friday.
What Exactly Happened That Led To The Decision Of Grounding The Nicaragua-Bound Flight?
The charter flight of Legend Airlines took off from the United Arab Emirates and was on its way to Nicaragua, according to news agency AFP. But the entire journey took a different turn after the authorities decided to ground a flight full of passengers. With about 300 Indians sitting inside, France grounded the flight for a technical stopover at the Vatry airport, according to a report by NDTV. Later, the authorities stated how they had to do so as there was a suspicion of human trafficking.
The authorities of France got an anonymous tip that some passengers on the flight were human trafficking victims. Following this, the department came into action and grounded the charter plane. Following the technical stopover, the police started their investigation. Authorities have detained two men for questioning them and investigating the matter further. In fact, authorities from India also arrived at the place and they are inquiring about the incident.
Taking to the X (formerly Twitter) platform, India in France (@IndiaembFrance) shared some details about the incident.
French authorities informed the authorities of India about the flight carrying 303 passengers of mostly Indian origin detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Soon, the Embassy team reached and obtained consular access there. Along with investigating the situation, the Embassy team officials also ensured the passengers’ well-being.
Also read: Air India Express To Start Direct Flights From Delhi & Bengaluru To Gwalior From Mid-Jan
What Happened Later?
Image for representation
Officials doubted that the passengers had probable plans to reach Central America and then try to enter Canada or the US illegally, according to an AFP report. All the passengers onboard the Nicaragua-bound plane initially waited inside the flight. Later, they were taken to the terminal building of the airport where each passenger was provided with a bed, shared by the office of the prefect. All the Indians stayed at the airport throughout the night.
Also read: SriLankan Airlines Abruptly Cancelled Colombo Flight; Left Over 50 Flyers Stranded At HYD Airport
JUNALCO later took over the case and they are investigating the situation.
These are all the latest updates of the incident.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.
Good news! We are on WhatsApp! Subscribe to Curly Tales WhatsApp Channel to stay up-to-date with exclusive content and BTS. Join HERE.