An Air France flight traveling from Paris to Detroit was forced to turn around and land in Montreal on Wednesday. U.S. authorities refused to let the plane land in Michigan after realizing a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo was on board.
The mix-up happened because of strict new health rules aimed at stopping the spread of Ebola.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Air France allowed the passenger to board the plane “in error on a flight to the United States.” The spokesperson added, “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 traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.”
Officials have not shared if the passenger was sick or when they were last in the Congo.
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Air France confirmed the detour, stating the flight changed course “at the request of U.S. authorities” after the Congolese traveler was denied entry. The airline noted that under current rules, travelers coming from specific countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, can only enter the U.S. through Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
“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 airline said.
The plane landed in Canada at 5:15 p.m., according to tracking website FlightAware.
The diversion comes after the U.S. government stepped up travel rules. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently banned non-U.S. passport holders from entering if they visited the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last three weeks. The Department of Homeland Security also ordered that any U.S.-bound flights carrying travelers who visited those nations in the last 21 days must land at Washington-Dulles. This rule was created to funnel passengers to a single airport where the government can use public health resources for enhanced screening.
Health officials are on high alert after an Ebola outbreak was confirmed in eastern Congo on May 15. The World Health Organization reported there are at least 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. The current outbreak is tied to the Bundibugyo strain, which does not have any approved vaccines or treatments.
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