Over a year and a half ago, Phillip Mehrtens was kidnapped by the insurgent group known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).
More than a year and a half after he was abducted, New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens was freed from captivity by rebels in Papua, an unstable part of Indonesia, according to Indonesian authorities.
On February 7, 2018, during his work for Susi Air, an Indonesian airline, Mehrtens was abducted by insurgents at Nduga airport in the volatile region.
“We flew pilot Phillip, who is in good health, from Nduga to Timika today,” a statement from Faizal Ramadhani, the leader of a special force established to deal with insurgents in Papua, stated on Saturday.
Mehrtens were hauled up this morning in a village in the Nduga district by a combined police and military task team, according to Faizal.
After receiving physical and psychological evaluations, the freed hostage was transferred to Timika, a city in Papua.
Later on Saturday, the task group would hold a press conference, according to Faizal.
Mehrtens was kidnapped by insurgents from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) when he was supplying essential air linkages and supplies to isolated communities.
Following intensive diplomatic efforts by Jakarta and Wellington, he was released.
For his freedom, the rebels had demanded that Indonesia acknowledge the independence of Papua New Guinea.
A spokesman for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that comments would be made later.
When contacted for comment, the TPNPB remained silent.
To put an end to a protracted separatist struggle, Indonesia keeps a significant military presence in resource-rich but undeveloped Papua.
Since there have been more rebel strikes in Papua lately, the only way to get to the country’s isolated highland regions is by air.
