An Air France flight bound for Detroit was forced to divert to Canada after US border authorities denied entry to a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to Ebola-related travel restrictions.
Flight 378 departed Paris, France, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 20 May, for an eight-hour journey to Detroit, Michigan, when it unexpectedly changed course and landed in Montreal, Canada.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered that a passenger from the DRC was on board and prohibited the aircraft from landing in Detroit. The US has implemented temporary measures denying entry to travellers who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days, amid rising concerns over a new Ebola outbreak in central Africa. These restrictions do not apply to US passport holders.
While the passenger is a citizen of the DRC, it remains unclear whether they had been in the country during the past few weeks. A CBP spokesperson stated: “Air France boarded a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo in error on a flight to the United States. Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane. CBP took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveller from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada. CBP, in coordination with CDC, is taking the necessary measures to protect public health and reduce the risk of Ebola disease introduction into the United States.”
Air France confirmed in a statement that the diversion was made at the request of US authorities “after a Congolese passenger on board was denied entry into the United States.” The airline added: “There was no medical emergency on board, and like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry requirements of the countries it serves.”
The Public Health Agency of Canada told CBC that a quarantine officer assessed the passenger who disembarked at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, and the individual was later flown back to Paris. Health officials determined the passenger was asymptomatic. The remaining passengers continued to Detroit aboard the same aircraft.
The Independent has contacted the Public Health Agency of Canada for further comment. For more details, read: US bans travellers from three African countries amid deadly Ebola outbreak.
