New Zealand Pilot Freed After 19 Months in Papua Rebel Captivity

New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been released by Papua rebels 19 months after being taken hostage, Indonesian and New Zealand authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Mehrtens was abducted on February 7, 2023, by fighters from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) after landing a Susi Air plane in the remote Nduga regency. While five local passengers were set free, the plane was burned. Since then, Mehrtens had been held by the separatist group as a bargaining tool in their bid for independence, though with little success.

Bayu Suseno, director of the Indonesian police operation overseeing the release, announced, “We successfully retrieved Pilot Phillip in good health.” Mehrtens was flown from Nduga to Timika in Central Papua’s Mimika regency, where he is currently undergoing medical and psychological evaluations. Authorities credit their ‘soft approach’—negotiating with religious and traditional leaders, as well as the family of Egianus Kogoya, the local TPNPB commander—for the peaceful resolution.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed relief in a statement, confirming that Mehrtens is “safe and well” and has spoken with his family. Peters added that multiple government agencies had been collaborating with Indonesian authorities to secure the pilot’s release, and he requested privacy for the family.

The release follows a recent statement from the TPNPB outlining conditions for Mehrtens’ freedom, including a handover to New Zealand authorities, media access, and the opportunity for the pilot to share his experiences with the rebel forces.

Although the separatists had been promising Mehrtens’ release for months, internal divisions within the TPNPB had previously delayed the process. On the anniversary of his capture this past February, the group’s headquarters announced plans for his release, though it hinted at disagreements with the local commanders holding him. By early September, TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom reiterated that Mehrtens would be freed “for the sake of humanity.”

During his captivity, the rebels released several videos showing Mehrtens surrounded by armed fighters waving the Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan independence. On November 21, 2023, the TPNPB again threatened to execute Mehrtens unless their demand for Papuan independence was recognized.

The New Zealand government had consistently called for Mehrtens’ release, with Peters earlier stating that his “continued detention benefits no one.” The situation became more urgent after another New Zealand pilot, Glen Conning, was killed last month by an armed group after landing a helicopter in Mimika regency.

Papua, rich in natural resources, has been the center of an independence struggle by its indigenous people since Indonesia gained control of the region after a controversial UN-backed referendum in 1969.