VATRY, France – Approximately 300 Indian citizens have been stranded at a small airport in the Champagne region of France for several days as authorities investigate whether their chartered flight was involved in human trafficking, according to the local civil protection agency. The group, consisting of families with young children and unaccompanied minors, was en route to Nicaragua when the plane was grounded by French officials based on a tip they received. Two passengers have since been detained as part of an investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group.

The Indian Embassy in France reported on Saturday that consular representatives are at the airport, working with the French government to ensure the welfare of the Indian citizens and resolve the situation as soon as possible. The passengers have been sequestered on camp beds in the small airport, which primarily handles small or chartered flights.

The plane, an unmarked A340, has been grounded at Vatry since Thursday. The 15 crew members of the charter flight were questioned and later released. Meanwhile, the lawyer for Legend Airlines, the company operating the flight, has denied any knowledge of trafficking involving the plane or its passengers.

It remains unclear what specific type of trafficking is suspected or if the plane’s ultimate destination was the U.S. where the number of Indians crossing the Mexico-U.S. border has risen significantly this year. Furthermore, the U.S. government has designated Nicaragua as one of several countries failing to meet minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. Statistics show that the number of Indian migrants through Mexico has increased from fewer than 3,000 in 2022 to over 11,000 from January to November this year, as reported by the Mexican Immigration Agency.

The Indian Embassy and French authorities continue to work towards resolving the situation, with the Indian citizens still sequestered at the airport in France.

Overall, the incident has left many questions unanswered as the investigation into the suspected human trafficking offense continues. Meanwhile, the Indian citizens remain stuck at the airport, awaiting further developments in the case.