Indonesia New Zealand pilot killed in Indonesian province of Papua

Separatist rebels have killed a New Zealand pilot in the Indonesian province of Papua in the west of the island of New Guinea.

The 50-year-old was ambushed on Monday immediately after landing in the district of Alama, the authorities announced. He worked for a local cargo airline. The "armed criminal group" had set fire to the pilot's body and the helicopter. Four local passengers were unharmed.

The incident adds to concerns about another pilot from New Zealand who has been held captive in the jungles of Papua for almost a year and a half. Rebels from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) set fire to a small airliner in the district of Nduga on February 7, 2023 and abducted the pilot from the local airline Susi Air.

Since then, they have released videos and photos of their hostage several times. The abducted Philip Mehrtens can be seen surrounded by indigenous people, some of whom are heavily armed.

The rebels are demanding independence for Papua from Indonesia and mediation by the United Nations in negotiations. However, talks on his release have stalled.

The Indonesian-ruled region of Papua in the western half of New Guinea has been the scene of separatist uprisings since the 1960s. The province was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 in a vote supported by the United Nations.

Violent clashes have been taking place in the resource-rich region for years. The east of the island to the north of Australia is the independent country of Papua New Guinea.