Grounded Plane With 300 Indians Finally Takes Off From France

A Nicaragua-bound Airbus A340 with 303 passengers - several of whom, if not all, are Indians, and which had been grounded at a Paris airport over human trafficking links - has finally left for Mumbai, French newspaper Le Monde reported late Monday. The departure comes after hours of confusion over the plane's status amid reports that many on board did not want to return to their home nations.

"The situation is confusing," Liliana Bakayoko, legal counsel for Romania's Legend Airlines, to whom the plane is registered, told a French TV channel and radio network earlier today. "Some of the passengers were unhappy... because they wanted to continue their journey to Nicaragua as planned."

Earlier in the day she told PTI the plane was would leave France at 10 am local time (2:30 PM IST) and land late Monday or early Tuesday. She told Le Monde the necessary clearances had been obtained.

She indicated then only 200-250 passengers had consented to return. These, she said, would include those who were not in police custody or had not appealed to French for asylum.

However, shortly after that police told  Le Monde, the plane would not leave "before noon..."

At least two passengers are among those who were not been authorised to leave and have, it is believed, been detained. A dozen others have sought asylum; their status is not known at this time.

The two may be charged with conspiring to help undocumented foreigners enter the country, Le Monde said. Reports indicate some passengers spoke Tamil and some Hindi.

READ | Indians On Flight Grounded In France Over Trafficking Fears Questioned

The two not authorised to leave were reportedly asked "to verify" if their role "may have been different than the others in this transport, and under what conditions and with what objectives".

The flight - a charter service from Dubai - had landed at the airport, which is around 160 km from Paris, to refuel. It was then grounded after a tip-off the pax were "likely to be victims of human trafficking".

READ | Anonymous Tip, 'Human Trafficking': Why France Grounded Plane

Sources told news agency AFP the plane could be part of a crime syndicate trying to smuggle people into the United States via the Central American country.

France's anti-organised crime unit, JUNALCO, is now leading investigations.

Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.

On Sunday authorities had said the plane could leave. This was after local judges questioned all those on board. Under French law foreign nationals can be detained for extended periods on arrival.

"We are very relieved. We were impatiently waiting for this," Ms Bakayoko had said then.

READ | Beds, Meals Provided To Indian Passengers Of Plane Grounded In France

Indian citizens on board have been given consular access, and the Indian government has said it is working with its French counterpart to resolve the situation. The passengers were provided makeshift beds, food and water, and access to toilets and showers, at the airport itself, officials said.

READ | India Says Working With France After Flight With 300 Indians Grounded

Legend Airlines has said it believes it has done nothing wrong and is ready to help the authorities with the investigation. It will also "seek damages from (the) client" who chartered its plane.

With input from agencies

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