UAE plane held in France over trafficking fears releases now

• The flight was grounded after an anonymous tip suggested potential victims.
• Two individuals were detained, and some passengers sought asylum in France.
• The flight had Indian citizens working in the UAE.

After a four-day delay at an airport in France, a plane carrying approximately 275 Indian nationals has finally taken off. The chartered Airbus A340, en route from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nicaragua with 303 people on board, was grounded due to suspicions of human trafficking during a refueling stop at an airport east of Paris.

The aircraft is now heading to Mumbai, but not all passengers continued the journey, as some have chosen to remain in France.

The Legend Airlines flight faced restrictions at Châlons-Vatry Airport, located about 130km (81 miles) from Paris, following an anonymous tip suggesting potential human trafficking victims among the passengers.

Authorities detained two individuals, and some passengers have sought asylum in France, according to sources.

The flight had Indian citizens working in the UAE.

It remains uncertain whether French authorities have conclusively established that no criminal activity occurred before permitting the plane to depart. Additionally, the reason for the flight redirecting to Mumbai instead of continuing its original route to Nicaragua is unclear.

“At this stage we’re still unsure,” Human Rights League President Patrick Baudouin, told French TV. “Was this a tip which it turns out was completely inappropriate, or is there a real crime behind this?”

Legend Airlines is a Romanian charter airline with a fleet of four planes, according to the online flight tracker Flightradar.

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