Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua have killed a helicopter pilot from New Zealand, police say, adding four passengers aboard the aircraft are safe.
The pilot was killed immediately after rebels rounded up those on board after the helicopter landed in an isolated area, police said on Monday.
It comes nearly 18 months after the abduction by rebels of another pilot from New Zealand, Phillip Mehrtens, who remains in captivity.
Police said the group responsible for Monday’s incident in Alama district in the Central Papua province was the same group that is holding Mehrtens.