Ten Indian passengers, including six unaccompanied minors, who were on a plane bound for Nicaragua, grounded at France's Vatry airport over concerns of "human trafficking," have reportedly applied for asylum, according to a source close to the matter speaking to news agency AFP on Saturday.
The aircraft, operated by Romania-based Legend Airlines, has been held at Vatry airport, situated approximately 150 kilometers east of Paris, since Thursday when it arrived from Dubai. The flight was halted following an anonymous tip that suggested the presence of potential human trafficking victims.
Among the passengers on the Airbus A340 jet, there were 11 unaccompanied minors, as confirmed by the Paris prosecutor's office. Reportedly, six of them have expressed interest in applying for asylum. Notable developments in connection with the incident include the continued stay of stranded passengers in the airport's entrance hall, pending confirmation of their details by French authorities. The entrance hall has been covered to restrict access, and police presence remains in place.
A source previously mentioned that the passengers might have intended to travel to Central America to illegally enter the US or Canada. Two passengers, held in custody since Friday, had their detention extended by another 48 hours on Saturday. Authorities are investigating whether their role in the transport differed from others and the conditions and objectives of their involvement.
Hearings on the matter are scheduled for Sunday before a judge, who has the authority to extend the border police's detention order by an additional eight days. The identity of passengers and flight crew is being verified, along with the "conditions and purposes" of their travel, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.
Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer for Legend Airlines, confirmed that all crew members were allowed to leave after questioning. She also indicated that the airline would file a lawsuit if charges were brought against it by prosecutors.
The Indian Embassy in Paris, having obtained consular access to the passengers, is actively working with the French government for an "early resolution of the situation." Consular officials from the embassy are present at the site.
