New Delhi, Dec 26: A charter plane, carrying 276 passengers primarily of Indian nationality, which had been grounded in France for four days due to suspected human trafficking concerns, finally landed in Mumbai in the early hours of Tuesday. The aircraft, identified as an Airbus A340, touched down in Mumbai shortly after 4 am, according to an official statement.

BREAKING: A charter plane grounded in France for a human trafficking investigation has now taken offhttps://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3

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The aircraft departed from Vatry Airport near Paris at approximately 2:30 pm local time. French authorities reported that the plane, bound for Mumbai, initially had 276 passengers on board. However, 25 individuals, including two minors, expressed a desire to seek asylum and remained on French soil.

Two individuals were detained, brought before a judge, and designated as assisted witnesses, as reported by a French news channel. Upon the plane’s arrival at Vatry Airport, it was noted that among the 303 Indian passengers, there were 11 unaccompanied minors, as confirmed by a local official. To accommodate the stranded passengers, makeshift beds were arranged, and they were granted access to facilities such as toilets and showers. Meals and hot drinks were also provided to the passengers in the hall of Vatry Airport during the period of delay.

The flight, operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines and originally destined for Nicaragua, made a landing at Vatry for a technical stopover en route from Dubai. However, French police intervened, prompting authorities to initiate a judicial investigation into the trip’s conditions and purpose. A unit specializing in organized crime is specifically looking into suspected human trafficking. It’s worth noting that Nicaragua has gained popularity as a destination for individuals seeking asylum in the United States.

In the fiscal year 2023, a significant surge was observed in the number of Indians attempting to enter the US illegally, reaching 96,917, signifying a notable 51.61 percent increase from the preceding year. Data from the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reveals that 41,770 of these attempts were made through the Mexican land border. Notably, a term coined for flights to Nicaragua or other countries with lax travel document requirements is ‘dunki’ flights.

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