Head of Public Relations for the Cartenz Peace Operation, Police Commissioner Bayu Suseno, said the body of Glen Malcolm Conning (50), a helicopter pilot belonging to PT. Intan Angkasa Air Service, had been successfully evacuated from Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province, to the Mimika Regional General Hospital (RSUD), Tuesday (6/8).
Glen was reportedly shot dead by the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in Alama District, at around 10:00 WIT, Monday (5/8). “Glen's body has arrived at Mimika Regional Hospital and has been post-mortem,” said Bayu.
Next, the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force will work with the Papua Police to issue a notification of the death of the New Zealand pilot. “This is important because the victim is a foreign citizen. Later, we will send the notification of the death to the Indonesian National Police's International Relations Division and then send it to New Zealand,” said Bayu.
Bayu also explained that the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force has currently deployed four joint TNI/Polri teams to the Alama District to pursue the KKB that took and killed pilot Glen. “The operation is planned to last at least two weeks. Please pray for maximum results and the perpetrators can be caught,” he explained.
Glen, who flew his helicopter from Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport, died shortly after landing in Alama District. Upon arriving at the helicopter pad, Glen and his six passengers were intercepted by KKB.
Then, Glen was immediately shot dead not far from his landing location. Meanwhile, the six passengers on the helicopter were reported to have survived. “According to the information we received, the pilot was indeed shot by the KKB. However, the part of his injuries because this has just been completed cannot be explained. But from several witnesses, the pilot was indeed shot by the KKB and his body was found in the helicopter cockpit,” said Bayu.
In addition to shooting Glen dead, the KKB also burned the IWN MD.500 ER PK helicopter belonging to PT Intan Angkasa Air Service. “The helicopter was burned. However, what was burned was the rear passenger seat. The front seat or the cockpit was not burned, maybe because it was raining at the time of the incident so the fire did not spread,” said Bayu.
Meanwhile, Mimika Regional Hospital spokesman Lucky Mahakena has not been able to convey the results of the post-mortem examination of the body of the New Zealand pilot. According to him, the post-mortem results will be given to investigators from the Mimika Police. “We cannot convey it in full because that is the investigator's domain. Later we will submit it in writing to the investigators in this case the Mimika Police,” he said.
However, Lucky did not deny that there were quite serious wounds on Glen's body due to gunshots. “What is clear is that there are indications of wounds more or less like that. I will not reveal what the wounds are like, but later we will submit the results of the post-mortem in writing to investigators from the Mimika Police,” he concluded.
Previously, the spokesman for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM), Sebby Sambom, said that Alama District is an area of armed conflict. In other words, all flights that land in the area will be targeted by TPNPB-OPM.
“We have banned, no civil aviation activity enters the area. Whether it is sending nurses or sisters, we will not listen to any reason,” he told VOA on Monday (8/5). (aa/uh)
