A New Zealand helicopter pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was shot and killed on Monday by separatist fighters shortly after his helicopter landed in the remote village of Alama, located in the Papua province of Indonesia.
Conning, 50, was working for the Indonesian aviation company PT Intan Angkasa Air Service.
The attackers released four Indigenous Papuan passengers, including two health workers and two children on board, before setting the helicopter on fire, according to Faizal Ramadhani, head of the joint security peace force in Papua.
The gunmen were alleged to be part of the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) which has been in a long-standing conflict with Indonesian authorities, seeking independence for the region, rich in gold and copper. The conflict has intensified since 2018, when separatist fighters attacked a major road project, killing 19 Indonesian construction workers.
Benny Wenda, president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) released a statement that “if…the killing in the strongest possible terms. We mourn Conning’s death and do not want any more blood shed on West Papuan land.”
Wenda then denies responsibility for the killing, stating:
Indonesia intentionally put this pilot in danger by allowing him to fly into the conflict zone. Indonesia have indirectly caused his death by continuing to breach the restricted zone in order to entrench their occupation of the Highlands. West Papuans are a peaceful and welcoming people: we want foreigners to know the truth about what is happening in our country. That is why we have fought for a decade for a UN Human Rights visit to West Papua – the same visit Indonesia continues to deny.
Another New Zealand pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, was taken captive in February last year. In the same statement denying responsibility for Conning’s death, it was announced that he would be released.
While mourning Conning’s tragic death, the ULMWP welcomes the announcement by the TPNPB that they are ready to release detained New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens.
Glen Conning, originally from Motueka in New Zealand’s South Island, was an experienced pilot who had participated in various missions, including fighting bushfires near Christchurch earlier this year.
Papua’s complex geography and limited infrastructure mean that travelling by air is often the only viable mode of transportation, making pilots like Conning crucial for connectivity in the region.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively seeking further information from Indonesian authorities. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the reports and emphasized the need for more details from the New Zealand embassy in Jakarta.
