Papua: two pilots killed in armed attack on a civilian plane
A small Smart Air plane was hit by gunfire after landing on a remote airstrip in Indonesian Papua. The two pilots, wounded while attempting to escape into the forest, died. The incident rekindles concerns over air travel security in the "red zones" of the region’s interior, where armed separatist groups operate.
Jayapura (AsiaNews) – The spotlight is back on security in the interior of Indonesian Papua after two pilots were killed in an armed attack on a small civilian plane.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at the Korowai Batu airstrip, has revived concerns over air travel in the region's most isolated areas, often designated as "red zones" due to the presence of armed separatist groups seeking West Papua's independence from Indonesia.
According to local authorities, a Smart Air aircraft was hit by gunfire shortly after landing.
The plane was flying from Tanah Merah Airport in Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua Province. Two crew members and 13 passengers, including a newborn, were on board.
Boven Digoel Police Chief AKBP Wisnu Perdana confirmed the incident.
“It is true that around 11:00 am local time, the plane carrying 13 passengers was hit by gunfire, killing both the pilot and co-pilot,” he said.
Captain Egon Erawan and co-pilot Baskoro reportedly attempted to flee into the forest after the plane became the target of what Indonesian authorities called an "armed criminal group" (KKB). Both later died from their wounds.
The pilot had managed to send an emergency message via GPS to flight operators, indicating that the plane was under attack and that the crew was fleeing into the forest for safety.
The message was sent immediately after landing said Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, head of the National Police Public Relations Division.
“The situation immediately became chaotic. The pilot, co-pilot, and passengers attempted to disembark and escape,” he told reporters.
On Thursday morning, security forces launched a joint operation to evacuate the bodies from the area around the runway, considered high-risk. The plane sustained extensive damage: the door was found open and three windows were broken.
The bodies were transferred to the Mimika Regional General Hospital (RSUD Mimika), Mimika Regency, for identification and autopsy procedures before being transferred to Jakarta.
“This morning, both victims were evacuated from the Korowai airstrip to RSUD Mimika," said Kombes Yusuf Sutejo, public affairs officer for the Damai Cartenz security operation.
“Security measures were taken to ensure the perimeter was protected from any remaining members of the group responsible for the attack. The dedication of these two pilots in servicing difficult inland routes is a true form of service,” Yusuf said.
The incident highlights the challenges of air travel in the remotest parts of Indonesian Papua, where small civilian aircraft are often the only means of transportation for isolated communities, but operate amid poor security and tensions linked to the separatist conflict in the territory.
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16/07/2022 15:54
