Pilot hostage freed by Papua rebels 'very happy' to go home

A New Zealand aviator who has been freed much than 19 months aft being taken hostage by separatists successful Indonesia says helium is "very happy" to beryllium going location to his family.

Philip Mehrtens was kidnapped by West Papua National Liberation Army fighters successful February 2023 and was released aft lengthy negotiations into the attraction of Indonesian officials connected Saturday.

He appeared earlier cameras looking haggard and with a afloat beard but is said to beryllium successful bully health.

The 38-year-old was kidnapped aft helium landed a tiny commercialized level successful the remote, mountainous country of Nduga.

"Today I person been freed. I americium precise blessed that soon I volition beryllium capable to spell location and conscionable my family," Mr Mehrtens, speaking successful Indonesian, told reporters successful Timika.

"Thank you for everybody who helped maine today, truthful I tin get retired safely successful a steadfast condition."

His merchandise follows months of "critical" diplomatic efforts by authorities successful Wellington and Jakarta.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed the merchandise and New Zealand overseas curate Winston Peters added: "His household volition beryllium perfectly implicit the moon".

Indonesian constabulary spokesperson Bayu Suseno said Mr Mehrtens was released and past picked up successful a colony called Yuguru successful the Maibarok territory earlier being flown to the metropolis of Timika.

Several days earlier the release, rebels told the BBC Indonesian work they would escaped Mr Mehrtens "safely and successful accordance with planetary standards for the extortion of quality rights".

"We the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), stay committed to upholding the values of peace, respect and dignity successful this situation," spokesperson Sebby Sambom said.

The pilot, a father-of-one, is being flown to Jakarta to beryllium reunited with his family.

He was kidnapped aft his tiny rider level - which belongs to Indonesia's Susi Air - landed successful Nduga successful February past year.

He was meant to instrumentality a fewer hours aboriginal aft dropping disconnected 5 passengers but soon aft landing, rebels targeted the single-engine level and seized him.

The 5 different passengers, who were indigenous Papuans, were released.

The kidnapping was portion of a long-running, often brutally convulsive struggle betwixt the Indonesian authorities and West Papua's indigenous people.

In April, astatine slightest 1 Indonesian worker was killed aft being ambushed by rebels portion searching for the kidnapped New Zealander successful the Papua region.

Last month, different New Zealand pilot, 50-year-old Glen Malcolm Conning was changeable dead by a pro-independence radical known arsenic Free Papua Organisation (OPM) aft landing successful the portion with 2 Indonesian wellness workers and 2 children, each of whom survived.

Authorities said the radical liable for Mr Conning's decease is the aforesaid that was holding Mr Mehrtens.

A spokesperson from the West Papua National Liberation Army antecedently told the BBC Indonesian work they wanted to clasp Mr Mehrtens captive until countries "like New Zealand and Australia" took work for their alleged relation successful unit successful Papua.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said connected Saturday that Jakarta had been capable to unafraid Mr Mehrtens' information done ongoing negotiation, and not force.

Speaking to reporters helium said: "We prioritised the information of the aviator who was held hostage. It took a agelong process".

The portion is simply a erstwhile Dutch colony divided into 2 provinces, Papua and West Papua. It is abstracted from Papua New Guinea, which secured independency from Australia successful 1975.

Papuan rebels seeking independency from Indonesia person antecedently issued threats and attacked craft they judge to beryllium carrying unit and supplies for Jakarta.

The resource-rich portion has been caught successful a conflict for independency since it was brought nether Indonesia's power successful a disputed UN-supervised ballot successful 1969.

Conflicts betwixt indigenous Papuans and the Indonesian authorities person been communal since, with pro-independence fighters mounting much predominant attacks since 2018.