A charter plane that had been grounded in France for a human trafficking investigation has finally departed on Monday, returning to India with 276 passengers on board. The aircraft, carrying over 300 Indian passengers from the United Arab Emirates, was detained at Vatry airport in eastern France for four days following an anonymous tip-off suggesting the presence of potential human trafficking victims on board.

French officials had initially kept the passengers on the aircraft before transferring them to the terminal building for further questioning. After two days of extensive interviews with the passengers, French prosecutors approved the departure of the plane on Sunday. The flight, operated by Romania-based charter company Legend Airlines, is expected to land at Mumbai airport, according to Indian Express newspaper.

While most of the passengers were allowed to continue their journey, two individuals were still being interrogated by French officials and remained in France, despite being released. Additionally, a group of twelve passengers has sought asylum in France, as reported by the AFP news agency.

The Airbus A340 had included children and families among its passengers, with the youngest passenger being a 21-month-old toddler. French authorities also highlighted the presence of several unaccompanied minors on board. The specific details and nature of the alleged human trafficking are yet to be disclosed by the prosecutors, leaving unanswered questions regarding the passengers' intended destination, including whether the United States was involved.

It is worth noting that there has been a significant increase in Indian nationals attempting to enter the US illegally from Mexico this year. In the US government's previous budget year, Indian citizens were arrested 41,770 times while attempting to cross the border, more than double the number of cases from the previous year.

The departure of the grounded plane from France provides a sense of relief for the stranded passengers who had experienced an extraordinary and distressing ordeal. As investigations continue, the focus now turns to comprehending the full extent and implications of the alleged human trafficking operation, as well as addressing the asylum requests filed by some of the passengers seeking refuge in France.