Kiwi held hostage in Papua: ‘Best pilot’ has loving wife and young son - boss

The New Zealand pilot held hostage by a separatist group in Papua is being described as the “best pilot”, with a loving wife and young son, by the airline’s boss.

The pilot, Captain Philip Mehrtens, was taken hostage yesterday while flying a plane for Susi Air carrying five passengers, including a baby, from Mozes Kilangin Airport in Mimika, in Central Papua, to Paro Airport in Nduga.

The area is a highly militarised district with a long history of insurgency in the newly named Highland Papua province, a Papua police spokesman said.

Susi Air founder and former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia Susi Pudjiastuti told the Herald Mehrtens was one of the airline’s best pilots.

Although the group responsible for his abduction had said the pilot was safe, to date there had been no photographic or evidential proof of it, she said. And they had not heard from Mehrtens yet.

Papua separatists with the Susi Air plane piloted by a New Zealander, now a hostage, before they set it alight. Photo / Supplied

Pudjiastuti said her daughter had spoken to Mehrtens’ wife who was definitely going through a “very tough” time.

Mehrtens has a young son who is about 5 years old. The chief pilot and director of operation had contacted the family, she said.

A friend and former colleague described Mehrtens as a “quiet and serious” man who was originally from Christchurch.

Mehrtens is married to a woman of Indonesian descent and had been living in her home country for quite some time. He speaks fluent Bahasa, the main language spoken in Indonesia.

“This would be beneficial for him in this situation,” he told the Herald.

“There is a high percentage of expats working at Susi Air. It is one of the better companies in Indonesia and they look after their pilots,” the former colleague said.

“I am sure they would be doing their best to help Phil.”

Separatist fighters in Indonesia’s Papua region have reportedly taken a New Zealand pilot hostage. Photo / Twitter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) is providing consular support to the pilot’s family and said it wouldn’t comment further due to privacy reasons.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had been given preliminary details and told RNZ the New Zealand embassy in Indonesia was on the case.

Local authorities were investigating and police and military personnel had been sent to the area to find the pilot and five passengers.

West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesman Sebby Sambom this morning confirmed the Kiwi pilot was still alive and was being held hostage for the purpose of negotiations with Jakarta.

“If Jakarta is obstinate, then pilot will be executed to death,” Sambom said.

“Later we from the Management of the TPNPB-OPM Central Headquarters will monitor.”

Sambom demanded accountability from Western governments, including New Zealand, for their co-operation with “the military regime in Jakarta”.

West Papua National Liberation Army spokesman Sebby Sambom. Photo / Supplied

Mfat says on its website that it works with the Indonesian Defence Force through activities such as joint officer training, non-combat training, humanitarian operations and at regional forums.

“New Zealand enjoys a strong relationship with Indonesia. As Pacific neighbours, with complementary economies, we are natural partners,” the ministry said.

“Indonesia is an important partner for New Zealand in combatting transnational organised crime, including terrorism, people smuggling and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.”

West Papua is the name for the western portion of the island of New Guinea.

Sambom earlier told The Australian the group had released the five passengers on the flight before setting the plane on fire.

“We want to convey that we have taken this pilot hostage and brought it to the TPNPB headquarters which is far from the airfield area,” he said, warning police and military not to carry out reprisal sweeps or make civilian arrests in the area.

“This pilot is a citizen of New Zealand. TPNPB considers New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, America, Europe, all are responsible.”

The Susi Air plane landed safely early on Tuesday morning before it was attacked by rebel fighters.

Sambom said the fighters, led by group commander Egianus Kogeya, set fire to the plane and seized its pilot.

Conflicts between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are common in the impoverished Papua region, a former Dutch colony in the western part of New Guinea that is ethnically and culturally distinct from much of Indonesia. Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a UN-sponsored ballot that was widely seen as a sham. Since then, a low-level insurgency has simmered in the mineral-rich region, which is divided into the Papua and West Papua provinces

- with AP