Pilot held hostage by rebels for 19 months in major development

The aviator was taken hostage 19 months agone erstwhile rebels ambushed his level arsenic helium took 5 passengers to a distant country of Indonesia, with rebels shooting different aviator past month

A aviator has been freed much than 19 months aft being taken hostage by separatists successful Indonesia.

Philip Mehrtens, from New Zealand, was kidnapped by West Papua National Liberation Army fighters successful February past year. The 38-year-old was taken arsenic helium landed a tiny commercialized level successful Nduga, a distant and mountainous area.

The level belongs to Indonesia's Susi Air and was meant to instrumentality hours aboriginal aft dropping its 5 passengers disconnected but not agelong aft landing, rebels swooped, targeting the tiny level and its pilot. The rebels released the 5 passengers, who were indigenous Papuans.

As helium appeared earlier cameras for the archetypal clip since his release, helium was bladed with a afloat beard but is believed to beryllium successful bully health. Speaking infront of cameras successful Timika, helium said successful Indonesian: "Today I person been freed. I americium precise blessed that soon I volition beryllium capable to spell location and conscionable my family."

He continued: "Thank you for everybody who helped maine today, truthful I tin get retired safely successful a steadfast condition," BBC quality reported.

The merchandise came aft months of diplomatic efforts from officials successful Wellington and Jakarta. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was thankful for the merchandise with the country's overseas curate adding: "His household volition beryllium perfectly implicit the moon".

Bay Suseno, an Indonesian Police spokesperson, said Mr Mehrtens was released earlier being picked up successful a colony called Yuguru and past flown to the metropolis of Timika.

Days earlier the release, rebels told the BBC Indonesian work they were going to escaped Mr Mehrtens "safely and successful accordance with planetary standards for the extortion of quality rights".

The dad-of-one aviator is to beryllium flown to Jakarta wherever helium volition beryllium reunited with his family. The kidnapping was portion of a agelong and convulsive struggle betwixt the Indonesian authorities and the West Papua's indigenous people.

The BBC continues to study however successful April past year, astatine slightest 1 Indonesian worker was killed erstwhile helium was ambushed by rebels portion searching for the kidnapped pilot. Just past period different New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was changeable dormant by a pro-independence group.

The radical liable for the shooting is believed to beryllium the aforesaid arsenic the 1 that kidnapped Mr Mehrtens. A spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army has previosuly told the BBC Indonesian work however it wanted to clasp Mr Mehrtens until countries "like New Zealand and Australia" took work for the unit they allegedly contributed to successful Papua.