A ‘dunki’ flight carrying 303 passengers, mostly Indians, landed in Mumbai early Tuesday morning.
However, only 276 passengers were aboard the flight and 25 people, including minors, chose to stay in France. Two others were detained by French authorities to investigate whether they had a different role than the other passengers.
According to French media reports, the 25 passengers have sought asylum in France. They have either applied or are in the process of applying for the same and will remain there until a decision on their request is taken.
The two detainees, who were produced before a judge, have been released and placed on assisted witness status. They will also remain in the country till the investigation into alleged human trafficking is completed.
The passenger plane Airbus A340 had taken off from Dubai and was heading towards Nicaragua. The plane was grounded last week at a small Vatry airport near Paris following an anonymous tip-off that its passengers may be victims of human trafficking.
According to reports, the passengers were Indian workers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the plane was going to Nicaragua as a jumping off spot for the United States or Canada.
‘Donkey’ or ‘dunki’ flight is a term used mostly in Punjab for an illegal immigration technique used for unauthorized entry into countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
French Authorities questioned the passengers for two days following which they were allowed to leave on Sunday.
However, some passengers reportedly expressed their wish to remain in France and sought asylum.
The passengers were questioned by the CISF teams upon arrival on Mumbai airport. They, however, refrained from speaking to media persons outside the airport.
After the flight took off from Vatry airport, the Indian embassy in Paris thanked the French authorities for the “quick resolution” of the incident.