Indonesia has revealed its security forces were about to launch a rescue mission for a pilot held hostage in Papua but New Zealand authorities asked them to abandon their plans in order to avoid violence.
Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud Mahmodin, said his forces knew the exact location of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was captured two weeks ago by separatist rebels after he landed a plane in Papua's remote highlands.
