Negotiations Underway to Free Susi Air Pilot from Papua Separatist Group
Mehrtens was abducted by the armed criminal group led by Egianus Kogoya on Feb. 7.
TIMIKA, KOMPAS.com \- Negotiations are ongoing to free the New Zealander pilot of Susi Air, Phillip Mark Mehrtens, from the armed criminal group, according to Papua police chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri. Mehrtens was abducted by the armed criminal group, led by Egianus Kogoya, who also torched the Susi Air Pilatus Porter PC 6 aircraft piloted by him shortly after landing at the Paro Airfield, Nduga district, highland Papua, on Feb. 7. The police chief confirmed that Kogoya and his accomplices had brought Mehrtens away from the Paro region and left the Nduga district to enter neighbori...