Antigua Immigration Officials say missing Indians arrived legally, had not been detained
Key Points(5)
- Although admitting that Antiguan authorities are searching for seven missing Indians who did not show up for their departure flight almost a month ago, the Department of Immigration has denied the travelers had ever been detained and had, in fact, arrived in Antigua legally.
- The department issued a clear-the-air statement after an online media outlet published a report that seven Indian detainees had gone missing.
- The article claimed that the Indian citizens were denied entry at the <a href="http://vcbia.com/">V.C.
- Bird International Airport</a>, but instead of holding them in the detention center, immigration officials allowed them to check into a hotel.
- However, the Department of Immigration said the report was “false and misleading”.
Although admitting that Antiguan authorities are searching for seven missing Indians who did not show up for their departure flight almost a month ago, the Department of Immigration has denied the travelers had ever been detained and had, in fact, arrived in Antigua legally.
The department issued a clear-the-air statement after an online media outlet published a report that seven Indian detainees had gone missing.
The article claimed that the Indian citizens were denied entry at the V.C. Bird International Airport, but instead of holding them in the detention center, immigration officials allowed them to check into a hotel.
However, the Department of Immigration said the report was “false and misleading”.
“At no time were the seven Indian nationals detained,” it stated, explaining that the travelers who arrived in Antigua on May 5 were in transit to another Caribbean Island and “were legally landed as they presented the required documentation for processing to include reservations at a local hotel for their transit stayover, tickets for onward journey and finance to support their travel”.
“Subsequent to their scheduled departure from Antigua, the seven travelers learnt that they would not be unable to make their onward journey and were therefore advised to book return tickets to the country from which they transited to Antigua. Tickets were booked for their departure from Antigua and Barbuda on May 6, 2022. The seven Indian nationals who were legally landed in Antigua proceeded to overnight at a local hotel and were due to depart Antigua the following day.”
However, the Department of Immigration discovered that the Indians were a no-show for their departure flight, and it has since issued alerts to the relevant authorities.
“Immigration officials continue to monitor this matter of the no-show travelers and are seeking to ascertain the whereabouts of the seven Indian travelers,” it said, adding that it viewed the travelers’ actions “with concern”.
CMC/
Read Similar Story: Antigua and Barbuda maintaining defense of Citizenship by Investment program
