- Phillip Mehrtens has been released by rebels
- The pilot was abducted on February 7, 2023
A New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage by rebels in the forests of West Papua has finally been released after 19 months in captivity.
Phillip Mehrtens was seized by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) after he landed a small commercial plane in the mountainous province of Nduga, found in Indonesia‘s western half of New Guinea, on February 7, 2023.
The 38-year-old will finally return home to his wife and young son after he was released at a remote village in central Papua, according to Indonesian authorities.
Mr Mehrtens was flown to a police headquarters building in the town of Timika where he has undergone a medical assessment, the ABC reports.
He is in good health according to Indonesian police who released a picture of gaunt Mr Mehrtens with a scraggly beard talking to officers who secured his release.
The former Jetstar pilot previously appeared a chilling hostage video released by the West Papuan fighters in February.
‘It’s me,’ Mr Mehrtens said in that video with a nervous chuckle, before adding a few words of encouragement to his wife Maria and six-year-old son Jacob.
‘I’m OK, they are treating me well… I’m trying to stay positive and I hope that you and Jacob are healthy and doing OK and getting support,’ he said.
‘I love you both lots and miss you both lots and hope to be able to talk with you soon.’
The pilot went on to explain he had met with the ‘komandant’, likely a reference to Egianus Kogoya, a commander in the rebel West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) that is fighting the Indonesian annexation of the territory.
Mr Mehrtens said he would also talk to the komandant about making a phone call to his family. It was not clear if this phone call was ever made.
In a second video, Mehrtens appeared to address the New Zealand government and asks for some supplies to ease his time in captivity.
‘Can you please help to get one or two ventolin inhalers just so that I have them available in case I get some asthma and, if possible, can I please get an e-book reader like a Kindle with as many English books as possible.
‘That would be very much appreciated,’ he said.
More to come.
