Security forces evacuated the workers from an area where they were searching for a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by separatist rebels of the West Papua Liberation Army
(Picture: AP)A kidnapped New Zealand pilot has been moved deeper into the West Papau New Guinea jungle after rebels set fire to his plane and took him hostage.
Philip Mehrtens, from Christchurch, was captured early Tuesday by independence fighters from the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Organization, who stormed his single-engine plane shortly after it landed at Paro’s small airport.
Rebels had threatened to execute the foreign national unless Indonesia recognised and freed Papua from Indonesian colonialism.
The plane, operated by Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, was carrying five passengers and about 450 kg of supplies from Timika, a mining town in the neighbouring Mimika district.
The rebels released the indigenous Papuan passengers and set fire to the plane, rebel spokesperson Sebby Sambom said.
West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesman Sebby Sambom told The Telegraph: “We believe that our soldiers in the field they will look after the New Zealand pilot,” adding West Papuan activists would “monitor” Mr Mehrtens using video and audio messages.
Soldiers had been told not to hurt the New Zealander, he said.
“My boys will look after him,” Mr Sambom said. “We are human being, we understand, we understand about humanitarian but only Indonesia come and kill like [we are] animals.”
TPNPB spokesman confirms they have taken New Zealander Philip Mark Mehrtens hostage: https://t.co/5bFvS8MPCL
— Chris Wilson (@Chris___Wilson) February 7, 2023
Mehrtens, who is 37 and understood to be married with a young son, was specifically being held because New Zealand, along with Australia and the United States, co-operate militarily with Indonesia, he said.
In an alarming statement issued on Wednesday morning, Sambom confirmed the Kiwi pilot was still alive.
He was being held hostage for negotiations with Jakarta, Mr Sambom said in a statement published to social media.
“If Jakarta is obstinate, then [the] pilot will be executed to death,” Sambom said.
A fellow pilot and former colleague told news organisation Stuff that Mehrtens was flying “dangerous pathways” with short runways on steep hills.
“It shows how much of a family person he is, putting himself at risk to earn money to support his family. Phil is the nicest guy, he genuinely is – no-one ever had anything bad to say about him.”
Conflict in the region has spiked in the past year, with dozens of rebels, security forces and civilians killed.
