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The Indian passengers were interrogated by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials after their charter plane, grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking, landed in Mumbai in the wee hours on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported.
The plane carrying 276 passengers, mostly Indians, that was grounded in France over suspected human trafficking, landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai around 4am. The passengers had been heading to Nicaragua but were instead blocked inside the Vatry Airport for four days in an exceptional holiday ordeal.
The Legend Airlines A340 plane stopped on Thursday for refuelling in Vatry en route from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua, and was grounded by police based on an anonymous tip-off that it could be carrying human trafficking victims.
The Associated Press reported that Legend Airlines lawyer Liliana Bakayoko said some passengers didn’t want to go to India because they had paid for a tourism trip to Nicaragua. The airline has denied any role in possible human trafficking.
Have 11 years’ experience in print and digital media. Write on politics, defence and world affairs, and have a keen eye for human-interest stories.