West Papua Police Continue Search For Former Head Of Criminal Investigation Unit Of The Missing Bintuni Bay

Head of Public Relations of West Papua Police Kombes Ongky Isgunawan (center) accompanied by Teluk Bintuni Police Chief AKBP Choiruddin Wachid (left)/ANTARA

JAKARTA - The West Papua Regional Police (Polda) are continuing their search for the former Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bintuni Bay Police, Iptu Tomi Samuel Marbun, who was missing during an operation to arrest an armed criminal group (KKB).

Head of Public Relations of the Regional Police, Kombes Ongky Isgunawan, said that his party was coordinating with the National Police Headquarters to continue the search for the third phase.

"The third phase of the search operation is likely to open next week," said Ongky as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 18.

He said the implementation of the operation in question was one of the three recommendations of Commission III of the DPR RI to the West Papua Regional Police in a hearing (RDP) on March 17, 2025.

The police first prepared various needs to support the smooth search operation of Iptu Tomi, such as a permit to use helicopters belonging to the Cartenz Peace Task Force.

"Prepared logistics, and others include the use of helicopters which are currently still maintenance," said Ongky.

According to him, the implementation of the search operation for Iptu Tomi for the third phase will likely involve personnel from the ranks of the Indonesian Army, and Basarnas in Bintuni Bay.

The police also opened space for families, civil society organizations, and journalists who wish to participate in the humanitarian mission to search for Iptu Tomi.

"The first and second search, we only involved several SAR personnel. Not SAR operations, because the location is a red zone," said Ongky.

Head of Teluk Bintuni Police AKBP Choiruddin Wachid explained that the search operation for Iptu Tomi had been carried out twice but had not produced results according to expectations.

The first phase of the search operation began from 18 to 30 December 2024, which was then followed by a search operation for the second phase on 27 January-2 February 2025.

"Iptu Tomi was swept away by the current while crossing the Rawara River. On December 21, Iptu Tomi's father-in-law also joined the search team," said Choiruddin.

In the search operation, he said, the joint TNI-Polri team experienced a number of obstacles, including heavy river current conditions, limited food stock, and fuel oil.

The two longboats carrying TNI-Polri personnel were overturned because they hit a wooden stick in the Rawara river area, but all personnel managed to save themselves.

"The second phase of the search is divided into two teams, namely the alpha team looking from the mouth of the river to the floating point, and the bravo team from the mouth of the Rawara river to the mouth of the Sebyar river," he explained.