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Flight diverted to Canada after passenger boards in error
An Air France plane en route from Paris to Detroit was forced to land in Montreal after US authorities discovered a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo had boarded the flight despite entry restrictions, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Passenger from Ebola-affected region denied US entry
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told the BBC the passenger should not have been allowed on the flight due to measures aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola. The agency did not clarify whether the individual showed symptoms or when they last visited Congo, where an ongoing outbreak has killed nearly 140 people and infected over 600.
Passengers describe tense diversion
Deborah Mistor, a passenger on the flight, told CBS News the captain announced the diversion four hours before the scheduled landing in Detroit. Crew members wore masks following the announcement, she said.
"I think enough people must have been questioning what was going on because 30 minutes later, [the captain] came back on and said that he wanted to confirm that there was nothing wrong with the plane, there were no technical difficulties, that it was strictly because of US authorities not allowing us to land in the US."
Deborah Mistor, passenger
Mistor added that passengers were later flown to Detroit on the same aircraft after the diversion to Montreal.
US enforces strict entry rules amid outbreak
Air France confirmed the diversion to US media, stating it occurred "at the request of US authorities" after a Congolese passenger was denied entry. The CBP said the airline had boarded the passenger "in error" and took "decisive action" to prevent the flight from landing in Detroit, rerouting it approximately 500 miles (800 km) to Canada.
The US has imposed restrictions on travelers without US passports who have visited Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda in the past three weeks. US citizens and permanent residents who have been to those countries must enter through Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia for enhanced screening.
Global health emergency declared as vaccine remains unavailable
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the current Ebola outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assesses the risk to the US as low, it has implemented measures to prevent the virus from entering the country.
One American-a doctor working with a medical missionary group in Congo-has tested positive for Ebola and is receiving treatment in a specialized isolation ward in Germany. The WHO reported on Wednesday that no vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, with a potential vaccine still up to nine months away from readiness.
