A NICARAGUA-BOUND plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers has been grounded in France over suspected "human trafficking", authorities said Friday (22).
The plane had taken off from the United Arab Emirates and was detained after an anonymous tipoff.
The aircraft carrying passengers "likely to be victims of human trafficking" was detained Thursday (21), the Paris public prosecutor's office said.
The national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, prosecutors said.
The prefecture in the north-eastern department of Marne said the A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, "remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing" on Thursday.
Legend Air has a small fleet of four aircraft, according to the Flightradar website.
The plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the UAE, it said.
According to a source familiar with the case, the passengers might have planned to travel to Central America in order to attempt illegal entry into the United States or Canada.
After landing in France, they were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building.
The entire airport was cordoned off by police.
The Vatry airport, located 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of Paris, serves mostly budget airlines.
Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.
(AFP)
France grounds plane carrying 300 Indians
The passengers, who are ‘likely to be victims of human trafficking', might have planned to travel to Central America in order to attempt illegal entry into the US or Canada: source
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)