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Phillip Mehrtens, 38, has been released after 19 months spent in captivity after being kidnapped by rebels in Indonesia’s West Papua region. Indonesian authorities confirmed Mehrtens is in good health and has spoken with his family. His release followed intense negotiations , with rebels initially demanding recognition of Papuan independence in exchange for his freedom.
New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been reunited with some of his family in Jakarta, Indonesia, after spending more than a year and a half in captivity. Mehrtens, 38, was working for Indonesian airline Susi Air when he was snatched by rebels from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) insurgent group at Papua’s Nduga airport on February 7 last year. A joint task force of police and military forces collected Mehrtens in a village in Nduga district on Saturday, before he was given medical and psychological checks and flown to the Papuan city of Timika, said the unit’s head Faizal Ramadhani.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters shared some details of Mehrtens’ first hours of freedom..
