A charter plane that was grounded in France for a human trafficking investigation has departed for India with 276 Indian passengers on board, according to authorities. The passengers, who were originally heading to Nicaragua, were unexpectedly blocked inside a rural French airport for four days, turning their holiday experience into an ordeal.

The unmarked Legend Airlines A340 plane took off from Vatry Airport in Champagne country after the crew and passengers boarded. Out of the original 303 passengers, 276 were en route to Mumbai, while 25 others requested asylum in France. The remaining passengers were transferred to a special zone in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers.

The passengers stranded in France included a 21-month-old child and several unaccompanied minors. Two passengers were initially detained as part of the human trafficking investigation but were released on Monday after appearing before a judge. They have been named as "assisted witnesses," a special status under French law that allows for further investigation of the case.

The Legend Airlines A340 plane had made a stop in Vatry for refueling on its way from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua when it was grounded by police based on an anonymous tip suggesting the transport of human trafficking victims. The ultimate destination of the passengers has not been confirmed, but there have been recent reports of a surge in Indians crossing the Mexico-U.S. border.

French authorities have launched a judicial inquiry to determine the purpose of the original flight and investigate the activities of an organized criminal group involved in assisting foreigners to enter or stay in a country illegally.

The Vatry airport was requisitioned by the police for several days, during which local officials, medics, and volunteers provided accommodations, meals, and showers for the stranded passengers. The airport also served as a makeshift courtroom, with judges, lawyers, and interpreters conducting emergency hearings to determine the next steps of the case.

Some lawyers at the hearings expressed concerns about the handling of the situation and the rights of the passengers, suggesting that the police and prosecutors may have overreacted to the anonymous tip.

The Indian Embassy expressed gratitude to French officials for their efforts in ensuring the safe return of the Indian passengers. French authorities worked tirelessly through the Christmas period to process the necessary formalities for the passengers to leave the country.

Foreigners can be held for up to four days in a transit zone for police investigations in France, after which a special judge must decide whether to extend the detention to a maximum of eight days.

The lawyer representing Legend Airlines, Liliana Bakayoko, stated that some passengers did not want to be transported to India as they had initially paid for a tourism trip to Nicaragua. The airline, however, has vehemently denied any involvement in possible human trafficking.

It is worth noting that the U.S. government has designated Nicaragua as one of the countries failing to meet minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. The country has also been used as a migratory route for individuals fleeing poverty or conflict due to its relaxed or visa-free entry requirements for certain nationalities. Occasionally, charter flights are utilized for such journeys.