Air France flight to US diverted to Canada after passenger from Congo boards

An Air France flight originally headed to Detroit, Michigan, was diverted to Canada after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo boarded on Wednesday, despite U.S. flight restrictions due to the Ebola virus.

Customs and Border Protection said in a statement to Straight Arrow that the passenger boarded “in error.” 

“Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane,” CBP said. “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.”

CBP said it is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to take the “necessary measures to protect public health and reduce the risk of Ebola disease introduction into the United States.”

Flight Aware data shows that Air France Flight 378 took off from Paris around 9:42 a.m. ET and arrived in Montreal at 5:15 p.m. ET.

Straight Arrow reached out to Air France for comment.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda declared Ebola outbreaks on May 15. A few days later, the CDC, Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, aiming to prevent the spread of the disease, implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and public health measures. 

These include entry restrictions on non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, Congo, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. The order is in effect for 30 days.

On Thursday, the State Department announced that any American citizens and lawful permanent residents arriving in the U.S. from those countries within 21 days may only enter through Washington Dulles International Airport for enhanced screening.

The CDC says the immediate risk of Ebola to the general U.S. public is currently low. 

So far, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday, 51 Ebola cases have been confirmed in Congo and two in Uganda. Beyond that, there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. 

An American doctor working in eastern Congo tested positive for Ebola. Dr. Peter Stafford, a medical missionary with the Christian nonprofit Serge, contracted the virus while treating patients near Bunia and was transferred to Germany. The Washington Post reported, citing five people familiar with the Ebola response, that the White House resisted letting him return to the U.S.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai denied this in a statement to The Post.

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