VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): A joint team is still searching for the pilot and passengers of a plane that was reportedly set on fire by an armed group (KKB) in Nduga District, Highland Papua Province, the National Police said.

"Regarding the condition of the pilots and passengers who were held by the KKB, they are currently being searched," National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo informed at Merdeka Palace here on Tuesday.

The Pilatus Porter aircraft flying on the Timika - Paro - Timika route was burnt by KKB at the Paro Sub-district Airport, Nduga District, on Tuesday morning.

The plane left Moses Kilangin Airport in Timika sub-district, Mimika district, Central Papua province, at 5:33 a.m. Eastern Indonesia Standard Time (WIT) and was scheduled to arrive back in Timika at 7:40 a.m. Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT).

"We, a joint team from the Peace Cartenz Task Force, are currently carrying out a search operation, thus, we will inform the development later," the police chief informed.

The aircraft belonging to Susi Air (flight number SI 9368) was piloted by Captain Philip Merthens, a New Zealand national.

It was carrying five passengers, identified as Demanus Gwijangge, Minda Gwijangge, Pelenus Gwijangge, Meita Gwijangge, and Wetina W, and luggage weighing 452 kilograms.

On a separate occasion, a representative of Susi Air, Donal Fariz, said that the aircraft lost contact near Paro Airport at 6:35 a.m. WIT on Tuesday.

At 9:12 a.m. WIT, Susi Air officers managed to locate the plane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT). The company sent another aircraft to check the missing plane's location. The missing plane was found burning on a runway.

"It was suspected that the burning of the plane was not caused by technical problems. It was because the plane landed and parked safely," Fariz informed.

He said that Susi Air will continue to seek the whereabouts of the pilot and the passengers since they have not been contacted until now.

“We also hope that the authorities can quickly find the pilot and passengers," he added. 

ANTARA noted that the Indonesian Government has officially declared the armed Papuan criminal groups, also called "KKB", as "terrorists" since April 29, 2021 owing to their acts of terror and crimes against innocent civilians. (Antaranews)