France Stops Flight Heading to Nicaragua

Local officials in the Marne region of eastern France reported on Friday that "France halted a charter flight heading to Nicaragua with 303 Indian passengers on board, and a judicial investigation has been opened into the circumstances and purposes of the flight." French media outlets, including BFMTV and France 3, indicated that authorities are investigating suspicions of human trafficking. The office of the Marne governor stated in an emailed statement that "the flight, operated by a Romanian airline, departed from Dubai on Thursday and landed at Vatry Airport for a technical check before police intervened." The office added, "The reception hall at Vatry Airport has been converted into a waiting area equipped with single beds to provide the best possible reception conditions for the travelers," noting that a judicial investigation has been initiated. The airline and the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comments.