Plane grounded in France: 10 Indians including 6 minors apply for asylum
France on suspicion of human trafficking, have applied for asylum.
There were 11 unaccompanied minors on board Airbus A340, according to sources. Six of them have shown interest in applying for asylum.
The Indian embassy's team at the airport is coordinating with local authorities, it has been learnt. The embassy's consular officials have been stationed at the site.
While the embassy is working with French authorities for an early resolution of the situation, a judge is going to hear the case soon.
As per reports, the judge has the authority to extend the detention of Indians to eight days.
The French regulations allow border police to detain foreign nationals for up to four days. The timeline of detention can be extended by four days, for a period not more than 26 days and that too after a judge's order.
The development comes two days after a Nicaragua-bound Airbus A340 was grounded on Friday at the Vatry airport in France as the authorities received a tip off that passengers of the plane were «likely victims of human trafficking».
The stranded passengers were put up in the airport's entrance hall whose glass exterior and nearby buildings were covered with tarpaulin as the police restricted access.
The emergency services have established provisional sleeping accommodations for the stranded Indians.
Reports indicate that the arrangements included access to restroom and shower facilities, along with the provision of meals and warm beverages for the affected individuals.
Meanwhile, the identity of passengers and flight crew were checked and authorities were verifying the «conditions and purposes» of their travel, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. Romanian company Legend Airlines denied any wrongdoing in
