Phillip Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot, has been released after more than 18 months of captivity in Indonesia's Papua region. This was confirmed by Indonesian authorities. The pilot, who hails from Christchurch and was employed by the Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, was handed over to the Cartenz Peace Taskforce—a security unit established to address issues with separatist groups in Papua—early Saturday morning.
Mehrtens was abducted on February 7, 2023, by separatist rebels led by Egianus Kogoya while he was landing at a small runway in Paro. After 592 days in captivity, the rebels decided to release him. Reports indicate that he was in good health upon his release and has since been taken to the mining town of Timika for further health checks.
Initially, Kogoya had stated that Mehrtens would not be freed unless the Indonesian government recognized Papua as an independent state. However, the rebels later agreed to his release, suggesting that media involvement would be part of the process.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) confirmed Mehrtens' safety and that he is now able to communicate with his family. Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed relief over the development, noting that various New Zealand government agencies had been collaborating with Indonesian authorities for nearly 20 months to secure his return. "This news must be an enormous relief for his friends and loved ones," Peters told the NZ Herald.
Phillip Mehrtens, who was 37 at the time of his kidnapping, trained as a pilot in New Zealand and had been living in Bali with his family. He is a husband and father and was operating a small Pilatus plane in an area known for its ongoing tensions and historical conflict.
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