JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) 鈥� The for more than a year in the restive Papua region has been freed by separatist rebels, Indonesian authorities said Saturday.
Phillip Mark Mehrtens, the pilot from Christchurch who was working for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, was handed over early Saturday to the Cartenz Peace Taskforce, the joint security force set up by the Indonesian government to deal with separatist groups in Papua, after separatist rebels let him walk free early Saturday, said the taskforce spokesperson Bayu Suseno.
鈥淲e managed to pick him up in good health,鈥� Suseno said, adding that Mehrtens was flown to the mining town Timika for further health examination.
Independence fighters led by Egianus Kogoya, a regional commander in the Free Papua Movement, on a small runway in Paro and abducted Mehrtens on Feb. 7, 2023. Kogoya initially said the rebels would not release the pilot unless Indonesia鈥檚 government allows Papua to become a sovereign country.
Leaders of the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement known as TPNPB, said they would let Mehrtens go after a year being held by his captors. The rebels issued a proposal Tuesday for freeing Mehrtens that outlined terms including news media involvement in his release.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed Mehrtens鈥� release after 592 days in captivity.
鈥淲e are pleased and relieved to confirm that Phillip Mehrtens is safe and well and has been able to talk with his family,鈥� Peters said in a written statement Saturday. 鈥淭his news must be an enormous relief for his friends and loved ones.鈥�
Peters said a wide range of New Zealand government agencies had been working with Indonesian authorities and others to secure the release for the past 19 1/2 months. Officials were also supporting Mehrtens鈥� family, Peters said.
Many news outlets showed 鈥渃ooperation and restraint鈥� in reporting the story, he added.
鈥淭he case has taken a toll on the Mehrtens family, who have asked for privacy,鈥� Peters said. 鈥淲e ask media outlets to respect their wishes and therefore we have no further comment at this stage.鈥�
New Zealand news outlets reported during Mehrtens鈥� captivity that he was one of a number of expatriate pilots employed by Susi Air and in recent years lived in Bali with his family.
Age 37 when he was kidnapped, Mehrtens was originally from the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, and trained as a pilot in his home country, according to the news outlets Stuff and the New Zealand Herald.
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Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand.
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This story has been updated with the correct spelling of the pilot's first name. It's Phillip, not Philip.
Niniek Karmini And Charlotte Graham-mclay, The Associated Press
