Stranded ‘Donkey’ Flight, Detained in France, Finally Touches Down in Mumbai with 276 Passengers

In the early hours of this morning, an Airbus A340 carrying 276 passengers, predominantly of Indian nationality, touched down in Mumbai after enduring a four-day detention in France amid suspicions of human trafficking. The aircraft departed from Vatry Airport near Paris at approximately 2:30 pm local time.

French authorities confirmed that 276 passengers had embarked on the flight, while 27 individuals, including five minors, opted to remain in France, seeking asylum. The landing in Mumbai marked the conclusion of an ordeal that began when it was discovered, upon the aircraft’s arrival in Vatry on Friday, that there were 11 unaccompanied minors among the 303 passengers.

Throughout the four-day detention, the stranded passengers at Vatry airport were provided with makeshift accommodations, access to essential facilities such as toilets and showers, and regular meals, including hot beverages.

The flight’s connection to Nicaragua has raised eyebrows, especially considering the surge in individuals from various origins seeking asylum in the United States via the Central American nation. Data from the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reveals a notable increase in illegal attempts by Indians to enter the US, recording 96,917 cases in the fiscal year 2023—an alarming 51.61 percent rise from the previous year.

The concern is further fueled by the modus operandi of some migrants, referred to as ‘donkey flights,’ wherein individuals transit through third countries with lax travel document requirements to reach their final destinations.

The circumstances leading to the grounding of the flight shed light on a charter service from Dubai, which had landed at Vatry airport, approximately 160 km from Paris, for refueling. The decision to ground the aircraft followed a tip-off suggesting that the passengers were “likely to be victims of human trafficking.”

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Sources indicate that the plane might be linked to a criminal syndicate engaged in smuggling individuals into the United States. The investigation has now been taken over by France’s anti-organized crime unit, JUNALCO.