Over two dozen passengers who were on board a charter plane held in France due to suspected human trafficking have chosen to stay in France despite the aircraft flying back to India. Among these passengers are 20 adults and five minors who have applied for asylum in France. Their nationality has not been disclosed, and their asylum applications will be processed at the Paris airport. It is important to note that under international law, asylum seekers cannot be sent back to their country of origin. Two other passengers who were also questioned by the French police regarding suspected trafficking have stayed in France, but they have received expulsion orders. According to their lawyer, they were released after authorities were convinced that they had boarded the flight voluntarily. The judge in their case was able to resist media pressure, leading to their release. The charter plane, belonging to Romania’s Legend Airlines, landed in Mumbai with 276 passengers after receiving clearance from a French judge. It had been grounded at Vatry airport near Paris after an anonymous tip-off about potential trafficking victims. French authorities are currently investigating immigration law violations in the case, rather than human trafficking. Nicaragua, a popular destination for immigrants hoping to enter the US illegally, was the plane’s intended destination. It is not known how many Indians were among the passengers or the nationalities of the other flyers. In the financial year 2023, almost 97,000 Indians attempted to enter the US illegally, representing a significant increase from the previous year. Among these attempts, over 41,770 individuals tried to cross the Mexican land border into the US, according to US Customs and Border Patrol data. Flights to Nicaragua or other countries where travel documents can be easily obtained are commonly referred to as “donkey” flights.
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27 fliers remain in France as plane remains grounded, returning to India
