Twenty missing Indian pilgrims located

Twenty of the 40 missing Indian pilgrims have been located and two are going home today.

More than 200 arrived in Auckland last week bound for Sydney's World Youth Day celebrations, but a number failed to turn up for their connecting flight.

The group which disappeared is believed to have got caught up in an immigration scam and paid $17,000 each for what they thought would be permanent residency when they arrived in New Zealand.

Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh says there were also people in New Zealand telling them to run away.

He says the pair who are leaving today now understand they do not have residency and are departing before their visas expire.

- NEWSTALK ZB