The US National MAF Pilot Is Still Traumatic After His Aircraft Burned Down

JAKARTA - The head of the Papua Regional Police, Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw, said that the condition of Alek Luferchek, the pilot of an aircraft belonging to the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) whose plane was burned in Pagamba village, Mbiandoga District, Intan Jaya, Papua, is still traumatized.

Luferchek was still traumatized when he arrived in Nabire, Thursday, January 7 after being rescued by the pastor and residents shortly after his plane was set on fire, on Wednesday, January 6.

"There is not much information from him because he is still traumatized and is currently being evacuated to Jayapura," said Waterpauw as quoted by Antara, in Jayapura, Thursday, January 8.

The police, he said, also could not confirm the armed group that burned the plane with the Kodiak Quest type PK-MAX registration number.

"The pilots were evacuated using helicopters belonging to Helivida from the village near the TKP," said Waterpauw.

Meanwhile, according to the Head of Information at the Joint Defense Area Command III (Kapen Kogabwilhan III) Colonel Czi IGN Suriastawa, the incident started as a provocation.

"It was provoked by the community, there were OPM members who provoked the incident," he explained in Jakarta, Thursday, January 7.

The plane was originally about to take off from Kampung Pagamba Airport to Nabire Regency. However, due to bad weather the flight was delayed.

"After that (after being postponed) going to leave, the people who were riding came in, made people worried, increased the number of passengers and made noise," he explained.

They then attacked the pilot and the passengers. But the victims survived after local church leaders took them to safety. But the plane they were about to board was destroyed by fire.

MAF Base Manager Nabire Paul Iswanto confirmed the burning incident of the plane on Wednesday. Paul said the pilot and passenger were safe.