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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Eva Corlett in Wellington

The flight to freedom of Phillip Mehrtens, the NZ pilot who survived 594 days in captivity

Phillip Mehrtens Indonesia Andreas Harsono New Zealand Papua Sebby Sambom West Papua Winston Peters Human Rights TPNPB
New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens reacting with Edison Gwijangge of Nduga regency after being released from captivity by rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua region on Saturday
New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens (L) reacting with Edison Gwijangge of Nduga regency after being released from captivity by rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua region on Saturday. Photograph: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/AFP/Getty Images

On 7 February 2023, Phillip Mehrtens’ life took an unexpected and harrowing turn.

The experienced New Zealand pilot landed his tiny commercial plane at Paro airfield, a runway in the isolated highlands of Indonesia’s West Papua region. It was to be a short in and out: drop off his five passengers, pick up a group of 15 construction workers and fly back south.

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