Man still missing after failed deportation
A Congelese man who is due to be deported from Ireland is still missing after he failed to show up to a sitting of the High Court last week.
Toussaint Mbiyavanga was part of a failed deportation flight that had to be turned around mid-way to Africa in July.
He was part of a group of 26 deportees from the Congo and Nigeria who boarded the flight from Dublin bound for Lagos, Nigeria, on July 13.
However, several hours into the flight, the airplane had to turn around after it was refused entry to Algerian airspace because of an error in obtaining flight clearance.
Mr Mbiyavanga had been due to mount a final challenge against his deportation last week. However, the High Court heard he failed to present himself to gardai.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said a subsequent flight for the 26 deportees was arranged for August 16; however, that had to be cancelled before it took off after the Congolese authorities refused to issue a landing permit.
"Many of the intended deportees have since been removed by way of scheduled commercial flights," she added.
Last night, a garda spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases but confirmed that the deportation order was outstanding.
- Breda Heffernan
Irish Independent
