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OPM rebels burn missionary aircraft in Papua
The attack was allegedly triggered by a fight over seats on the small utility aircraft, which only has space for nine passengers.
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Separatist rebels reportedly burned a missionary aircraft in Pagamba village, Intan Jaya regency, Papua, on Wednesday.
The aircraft, registered as a PK-MAX and operated by the Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF), departed from Nabire Airport with two passengers heading to Pagamba airstrip.
American Alex Lufercheck said the Kodiak 100 aircraft had landed without issue at Pagamba airstrip at 9:30 a.m. local time. But members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) separatist group reportedly charged the plane and ordered Lufercheck to disembark.
“Then someone carrying a firearm […] shot into the air and ordered the pilot to keep his head down,” Papua Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. AM Kamal said in a written statement on Thursday as reported by kompas.com.
The alleged OPM members then set fire to the aircraft while the pilot was evacuated from the location by priests and local residents.
“The pilot was taken to Tekai village, between Pagamba village and Bugalaga village,” said Kamal.
He added that the National Sar and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) had been told of the incident and asked the MAF Foundation in Nabire to check on the aircraft.
The next day, Lufercheck was taken to Nabire where police questioned him about the incident and then to Jayapura for a psychological assessment.
Meanwhile, Joint Defense Area Command (Kogabwilhan) III chief spokesman Col. IGN Suriastawa said the alleged attack had been triggered by a fight over seats on the small utility aircraft, which only has space for nine passengers.
“The aircraft was initially scheduled to leave Nabire at 6 a.m. local time but because of bad weather had to return to base,” he told komps.com.
The aircraft flew later in the morning and the delay forced many passengers to wait in Pagamba.
“As the passengers argued over seats, the OPM further provoked them, which eventually led to the aircraft being set ablaze,” Suriastawa said.
The OPM has claimed responsibility for the incident.
“Yes, it was the responsibility of Sabinus Waker and Gusby Waker,” West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesman Sebby Sambom said in a statement.
Sabinus is the TPNPB-OPM commander for the Intan Jaya area while Gusby is the operations chief.
According to Sebby, the TPNPB-OPM declared in 2019 and again in 2020 that any civilian airplanes and helicopter carrying military and police personnel would be shot at.
On Wednesday, another OPM group reportedly shot at a Bell 407 HP helicopter operated by PT Sayap Garuda Indah. The helicopter was conducting a survey flight for copper and gold giant PT Freeport Indonesia in Kali Kopi, Timika, Mimika regency.
The helicopter was piloted by Stuart James Forsyth and carried two passengers, David Philip Jones and Nur Triadi.
There were no casualties in the Kali Kopi attack but the helicopter sustained damages from gunshots. (nvn)
