An Air France flight traveling from Paris to Detroit was unexpectedly diverted to Montreal on May 20 after U.S. authorities discovered that a passenger connected to a region affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak had boarded the aircraft despite newly announced entry restrictions.
The aircraft, operating as Air France Flight AF378 and also listed under Delta flight DL8719 through a codeshare partnership, departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport earlier in the day and was originally scheduled to land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport around 6:40 p.m.
However, before the plane entered the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection ordered the flight rerouted to Montreal Trudeau International Airport. According to officials, a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo had been allowed to board “in error” despite emergency travel restrictions introduced by the U.S. government earlier this week.
Passenger removed in Montreal after U.S. denial
CBP said the traveler should not have been on a direct flight to Detroit because of temporary Ebola-related entry rules targeting passengers who recently traveled through Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. Under the new policy announced jointly by the CDC and Department of Homeland Security on May 18, non-U.S. passport holders from those countries face a 30-day travel ban, while additional screening measures have been introduced for recent travelers.
Officials stated that passengers arriving from Ebola-affected regions are now required to enter the United States through Washington Dulles International Airport, where enhanced public health screening resources are concentrated.
The flight landed in Montreal at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time, where the passenger was escorted off the aircraft. After remaining on the ground for less than an hour, the plane resumed its journey and later arrived safely in Detroit shortly after 8 p.m.
Air France later confirmed there was no medical emergency onboard and clarified that the diversion was strictly linked to entry compliance regulations.
“Under new regulations, passengers arriving from certain countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may only enter U.S. territory via Washington (IAD) Airport,” the airline said in a statement.
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Growing Ebola outbreak raises global concern
The diversion comes as global health agencies closely monitor a worsening Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern due to the speed and scale of infections.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that 51 confirmed Ebola cases had already been recorded in Congo’s northern provinces along with additional infections in Uganda. Officials also warned that suspected cases may already exceed 600, while reported deaths have climbed above 130.
Health experts are especially concerned because the current outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no approved vaccine or specific therapeutic treatment available. According to the World Health Organization, Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids and is not considered an airborne disease.
The CDC continues to maintain that overall risk to the United States remains low, though authorities are increasing airport screenings, contact tracing efforts and international coordination to reduce the possibility of wider spread.
Swikblog recently covered the rapidly developing Ebola crisis and its global travel impact in detail here: Ebola Outbreak Confirmed in Congo as Cases Continue Rising.
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