French judge to decide on extending stay of 303 passengers of grounded flight

The plane at the Varty airport in eastern France. Pic/AP

The 303 passengers, mostly Indians, of a plane detained by French authorities since Thursday over suspected "human trafficking", are set to appear before a judge on Sunday at the airport to decide on their continued detention.

The plane that took off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates carrying 303 passengers and bound for Nicaragua was grounded at the Chalons-Vatry airport in Marne on Thursday over suspected "human trafficking".

Hearings before a judge of freedoms and detention will begin this Sunday to decide whether or not to keep in the waiting area of the airport the passengers of the flight, BFM TV, a French news broadcast television and radio network, reported.

Francois Procureur, lawyer and president of Chalons-en-Champagne, said: "I don't know if this has already been done in France." Vatry airport, in Marne, 150 km east of Paris, is preparing to become a courtroom. The airport mostly serves budget airlines. The 303 passengers must appear before the judge from 9 am this Sunday until Monday.

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