Papuan KKB Hosts Susi Air Aircraft for Unable to Receive Village Funds

An armed criminal group (KKB) in Ilaga, Puncak Regency, Papua, took hostage a pilot aircraft belonging to Susi Air type Pilatus PC-6 S1-9364 PK BVY at Wangbe Airfield, Wangbe District, Puncak Regency, Papua. The TNI said the KKB action was triggered by disappointment at the local village head not giving village funds.
"The KSB (armed civilian group-designation KKB TNI version) had threatened that the Susi Air airline plane was prohibited from carrying passengers from the TNI / Polri apparatus and the KSB also expressed its disappointment with the village head for not providing village funds," said Head of Information for Kogabwilhan III Colonel Czi IGN Suriastawa. when asked for confirmation from reporters, Friday (12/3/2021).

The information was based on the explanation of the pilot of the plane Captain Ian John Terrence Hellyer. Before releasing the hostages, continued Suriastawa, KKB advised the aircraft pilot, namely Susi Air, not to carry passengers from the TNI / Polri apparatus and that village funds be given to them.

The plane belonging to PT ASI Pudjiastuti Aviation originally flew from Timika to Wangbe Airfield, Friday (12/3). The pioneer aircraft carried three passengers, namely Ricky Dolame, Arikala Dolame, and Arike Wandikbo.

They were held hostage by 30 KKB people for two hours, at around 06.20 WIT. Suriastawa said the Susi Air pilot admitted that two of the dozens of KKBs carried rifles.

Luckily, during the two hours of being held hostage, the pilot and three passengers did not experience violence by the KKB. Wangbe Airfield itself is 43 km from Sinak or 48 km from Sugapa. The area is not yet covered by telephone networks and the internet.

Previously, it was reported that the KKB in Ilaga, Puncak Regency, Papua was taking hostage on the plane and passengers of the pioneer plane belonging to Susi Air in Wangbe District, Ilaga, Puncak Regency. The police confirmed the Ilaga hostage incident, but the police said the Susi Air plane and its pilot had been allowed to fly again.

"Yes, that's right, it happened yesterday, the pilot and the plane were detained by the KKB for two hours, but they have been allowed to fly back," said Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius D Fakhiri to reporters during a visit to the Mobile Brigade Detachment B Timika, this morning.

Mathius added that the Susi Air pilot was manned by New Zealand pilot Ian John Terrence Hellyer. Currently the police are still asking Ian for information.

"It has been handled and information is still being taken. Later when it's finished we will expose it to friends," he said.

Provisional information, the KKB that took hostage Susi Air's pilot aircraft totaled about 30 people. They were equipped with rifles.

KKB had pointed a sharp weapon at the flight crew and prohibited the plane from carrying passengers from the TNI / Polri apparatus.

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/d-5491969/kkb-papua-sandera-pesawat-susi-air-karena-tak-dapat-dana-desa