New Zealand pilot held hostage in Indonesia. On Tuesday, separatist rebels in Indonesia hijacked a New Zealand pilot; rescue efforts are currently under way.
In the Papua region, the pilot was taken hostage, and the jet was torched during the event. According to reports, the armed men threatened to kill the pilot when the plane touched down in the mountainous region of Nduga. The pilot was a passenger on Susi Air’s commercial charter flight.
Five people, including a little child, were on board the flight, and it is believed that all of them have been released.
The separatists named West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) want Indonesia to recognise the independence of the province of West Papua.
New Zealand pilot held hostage in Indonesia and the pilot has been identified as Philip Merthens and the separatists had been designated as a terrorist group by the country in the past.
The group’s spokesperson, Sebby Sambom, warned the pilot will be executed if Indonesia “is obstinate” and fails to negotiate over the independence of West Papua.
The New Zealand government has stated that it is aware of the developments and that the pilot’s family is receiving assistance from its consulate in Indonesia.
Susi Pudjiastuti, the founder of Susi Air, on the other hand, wrote on Twitter that she was praying for the safety of both the pilot and the passengers.
The airport where the plane landed is a remote area with only by air access, and it was carrying supplies from the nearby mining town of Timika.
