This Sunday, French Justice lifted the immobilization of a plane bound for Nicaragua that was detained last Thursday at the Vatry airport with 303 Indian passengers, who continue to be questioned by judges to determine whether that measure will also be withdrawn from them.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office, which is leading the investigation, announced that today it has authorized the lifting of the detention of the aircraft, an Airbus A340 of the Romanian company Legend Airlines.
In addition, the Prosecutor’s Office maintained arrest warrants against two of the passengers, as part of an investigation into a possible case of human trafficking.
Meanwhile, the authorities continue the process of interrogating the other passengers, in order to determine if they continue to be held at Vatry airport, about 140 kilometers east of Paris, or if they will be released.
Four judges, four court secretaries, as many Hindi interpreters and seven lawyers participate in the procedure, which will last until tomorrow, Monday, to determine if there is reason to justify the continuation of the detention of the travelers.
The plane was immobilized on Thursday by the French authorities upon landing at that small airport to make a technical stopover on the way between Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Managua, after receiving an anonymous communication that there could be victims of trafficking among the travelers. .
Among the occupants of the plane were also eleven unaccompanied minors who were assigned legal representation in France. Six of them have started the procedure to request asylum in this country, according to local media.
The plane’s crew, made up of around thirty people, was previously interrogated and released.
Since Thursday, the airport has been confined, with police officers controlling that no one enters or leaves the facilities.
The authorities set up a reception center in the airport lobby, with individual bunks, medical care and food distribution at regular times.
Various police, judicial and administrative agencies specialized in international human trafficking participate in the investigation.
The Indian embassy in Paris immediately deployed personnel from its consulate to work together with the French authorities to clarify this case and to assist its citizens.
Sources close to the case have suggested the hypothesis that the passengers could be Indian workers in the US who are trying to join the flow of immigrants seeking to reach the United States or Canada from Central America, since people of that nationality are one of the large groups. of that route.
