New Zealand pilot freed by Indonesian rebels after 19 months in captivity

Television footage showed him sitting successful a country with constabulary and section officials, emotionally speaking to his household via video call. He was aboriginal flown to Jakarta to reunite with them.

The Free Papua Movement, which seeks independency for the Papua region, initially demanded Papua’s sovereignty successful speech for Mehrtens’ release. Egianus Kogoya, a determination commandant of the movement, led the radical liable for the abduction. However, the West Papua Liberation Army, the equipped helping of the Free Papua Movement, aboriginal issued a connection for his release, outlining presumption that included media involvement.

A taskforce spokesperson, Bayu Suseno, credited the pilot’s merchandise to extended negotiations led by a tiny squad that maintained connection with the separatists done section religion leaders, younker figures, and the community. “This is incredibly bully news,” Suseno said, highlighting that the “soft approach” ensured the harmless merchandise of Mehrtens without immoderate casualties.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed relief, stating that aggregate authorities agencies had been moving with Indonesian authorities for implicit 19 months to unafraid the pilot’s freedom. Peters thanked the media for showing “cooperation and restraint” successful covering the case, adding that the ordeal had taken a important toll connected the Mehrtens family, who requested privacy.

Phillip Mehrtens was 1 of respective expatriate pilots employed by Susi Air and had been surviving successful Bali with his household anterior to the abduction. Peters refrained from providing circumstantial details astir however the aviator was freed, calling the concern “tricky.” He emphasised the situation of gathering spot with the rebels and the value of staying diligent to guarantee the mission’s success. “It was rather nerve-wracking,” Peters admitted, expressing alleviation that the efforts succeeded.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo praised the subject and constabulary for prioritising dialog and information successful securing Mehrtens’ release, stating, “This was done a precise agelong dialog process and our patience not to enactment repressively.”

Upon Mehrtens’ accomplishment astatine Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base precocious connected Saturday, helium was greeted by Indonesian officials and New Zealand diplomats. Indonesian officials formally handed him implicit to New Zealand’s Ambassador successful Jakarta, Kevin Burnett, who volition oversee his safety.

Despite erstwhile attacks by separatists, including the sidesplitting of six Indonesian soldiers successful April 2023 and the decease of different New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, successful August, the rebels made nary demands successful speech for Mehrtens’ release. The information of the hostage remained a apical precedence passim the negotiations.

In a erstwhile abduction successful 1996, the Free Papua Movement kidnapped 26 members of a World Wildlife Fund mission, resulting successful the deaths of 2 Indonesians earlier the remaining hostages were freed aft 5 months.

(with inputs from AP)