JAKARTA (Reuters) -New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed more than 19 months after being kidnapped by armed separatists in Indonesia’s Papua, authorities said on Saturday.
Mehrtens was freed and picked up by a joint team in the Nduga area and was undergoing health check-ups and a psychological examination in Timika regency, the Indonesian police said in a statement.
Indonesia’s Metro TV showed him tearfully speaking to his family by phone. Mehrtens then made a quick appearance at a press conference and appeared to be in good spirits.
Mehrtens did not appear to suffer any post-traumatic stress although he had lost a lot of weight, and he should be able to fly out of Papua soon, said Bambang Trisnohadi, a lieutenant general with the Indonesian military.
A faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), led by Egianus Kogoya, kidnapped Mehrtens on Feb. 7, 2023, after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on social media platform X he was grateful Mehrtens had been released.
“My appreciation to all those in Indonesia and New Zealand who have supported this positive outcome for Phillip and his family,” Luxon said.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a press conference in Auckland that Mehrtens would leave Timika and go to Jakarta “very very soon” to reunite with his family.
“His family will be absolutely over the moon, I believe,” Peters said.
A range of New Zealand government agencies had been working with Indonesian authorities and others towards securing Mehrtens’ release, Peters said earlier in a statement.
“Through the long process of negotiation, with patience not to do it repressively, our priority has been the safety of the pilot,” Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in televised remarks.
The Indonesian police said they would hold a press conference later on Saturday.
In August, another New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was killed by separatist rebels in Papua after landing his helicopter in a remote area, authorities said at the time.
