An A340 charter aircraft from Romania’s Legend Airlines carrying 276 citizens of India, who were originally heading to Nicaragua, departed from Vatry Airport in France en route back to Mumbai after being grounded for four days as part of a human trafficking investigation.
Of the passengers, 276 were en route to Mumbai, while 25 others requested asylum in France. The remaining passengers were transferred to a special zone in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers.
Two passengers detained in connection with the investigation were released after appearing before a judge, who named them as “assisted witnesses.” Authorities are still investigating the flight’s purpose and have opened a judicial inquiry into activities relating to organised criminal groups facilitating illegal entry or stay in a country.
The aircraft, one of two A340s leased by Legend Airlines out of England, stopped Thursday for refuelling in Vatry en route from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates for Managua, Nicaragua
Legend Airlines lawyer Liliana Bakayoko said some passengers didn’t want to go to India because they had paid for a tourism trip to Nicaragua. The airline has denied any role in possible human trafficking.
Foreigners can be held up to four days in a transit zone for police investigations in France, after which a special judge must rule on whether to extend that to eight days.
