Al-Marsad Newspaper – Agencies: Gunmen hijacked an Indonesian plane belonging to “SUS Air” airlines, and the gunmen took a New Zealand pilot and five of its passengers hostage in the Indonesian province of West Papua.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hepkins said: “The government is aware of the situation, and New Zealand embassy staff in Indonesia are working on the issue.”
“They have not yet given us full details of what happened and what they are doing to resolve the situation, but we know that the case is in the works,” Hipkins added. New Zealand’s foreign ministry said it was providing consular support to the pilot’s family, but declined to comment further, citing privacy laws.
It was also reported that the military wing of the separatist Free Papua Movement (in Indonesia it is considered a terrorist organization), claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it would not be released until the Indonesian government recognized the region’s independence.
