An Airbus A340-300 that was completing a flight from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nicaragua has been immobilized in Paris during a technical stopover due to suspicions of human trafficking. Onboard the aircraft were 303 passengers of Indian origin, as reported by French media.
The aircraft with registration YR-LRE belongs to the Romanian airline Legend Airlines and was operating flight LZ1215 from Fujairah (FJR) to Managua. According to data from Flightradar24 tracking website, the airline has made this journey several times during December, using the delayed A340 in Paris and a second aircraft of the same model.
The French authorities received an «anonymous» report suggesting the presence of illegal immigrants and human trafficking aboard the aircraft. Upon landing at Vatry Airport (XCR), the plane was delayed to investigate the veracity of the received report.
The 303 passengers were able to remain on the plane during the initial hours of the operation, but as time passed, the airport terminal turned into a waiting area with beds.
Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer for Legend Airlines, told the French channel BFMTV that she was available to cooperate with the authorities and hoped that the plane could continue its itinerary in the coming days.
The A340-300 is leased by Legend Airlines from Airbus Financial Services, has a 15-year history, and previously belonged to Finnair and Air Belgium. Initial reports suggest that 303 individuals are stranded, although the aircraft, as stated on the airline’s website, has a capacity for 265 passengers.
