New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens freed from captivity in Indonesia's Papua

New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed from more than one-and-a-half years in captivity in Indonesia’s Papua, Indonesian police say.

An armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army, led by Egianus Kogoya, kidnapped Mehrtens on February 7, 2023, after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.

“We are prioritising approach through religious leaders, church leaders, traditional leaders and Egianus Kogoya’s close family to minimise casualties and maintain the safety of the pilot,” said the chief of Cartenz 2024 Peace Operations, Brigadier General Faizal Ramadhani, on Saturday.

Mehrtens was freed and picked up by a joint team in Nduga Regency and was undergoing health check-ups and a physiological examination in Timika regency, the police said.

Police said they would hold a news conference later.