Air France Flight Diverted to Montreal Due to U.S. Ebola Entry Restrictions
An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was rerouted to Montreal after U.S. authorities denied entry to a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing Ebola-related travel restrictions.
An Air France flight en route from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Montreal on Wednesday after U.S. authorities denied entry to a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing Ebola-related travel restrictions. The passenger had been allowed to board in Paris "in error," according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The flight, identified as AF378, was rerouted to Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, where Canadian health officials assessed the passenger and found them asymptomatic. The individual subsequently returned to Paris, and the flight continued to Detroit with the remaining passengers.
This incident follows the U.S. government's recent implementation of entry restrictions aimed at mitigating the risk of Ebola transmission. These measures require travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan to enter the United States exclusively through Washington Dulles International Airport for enhanced screening.
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, reporting nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. Officials express concern that the actual scale of the outbreak may be significantly larger.