Joint Officials Explore Papua Forests To Search Susi Air Pilot

JAKARTA - Joint TNI-Polri officers searched the forest in Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains, to look for the whereabouts of the pilot of the Susi Air plane Phlip Max Marthin who has been missing since the burning of the plane.

This was conveyed by the Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo, in his statement regarding the development of the handling of the burning of the Susi Air plane by the armed criminal group (KKB).

"The search for the pilot of the Susi Air plane is still being carried out by the joint TNI-Polri apparatus. If there are further developments, they will be announced," Dedi said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 9.

Meanwhile, five passengers on the Susi Air plane and 15 construction workers at the puskesmas in Nduga, Papua, who were said to have been held hostage by KKB Leader Egianus Kagoya were successfully evacuated by the Joint Team of the Indonesian National Police.

The condition of all Susi Air passengers and construction workers is safe.

Meanwhile, the process of evacuating the construction workers, said Dedi, was carried out by a joint TNI-Polri apparatus using a helicopter.

"The five passengers on the Susi Air plane and 15 construction workers for the puskesmas in Nduga are currently in good health after being evacuated," he said.

The Susi Air Pilatus Porter PC 6/PK-BVY aircraft lost contact, Tuesday (7/2), at 6.35 WIT at the Paro District Airport while carrying out a flight on the Timika-Paro-Timika route.

Two hours later Susi Air found the plane's ELT active at 9.12 WIB which the company responded with an emergency by sending another plane to check the position of the plane which was later found in a burning condition on the runway at the Paro District Airport.

Five passengers on Susi Air's aircraft, namely Demanus Gwijangge, Minda Gwijangge, Pelenus Gwijangge, Meita Gwijangge, and Wetina W were successfully evacuated.

Meanwhile, 15 health center construction workers in Pati District, Nduga Regency, Papua, were reportedly taken hostage and threatened by the KKB before finally escaping and being rescued by the community.