Papua separatists claim to have shot dead a US pilot who transported Indonesian troops
Separatists said the aircraft carried 1 pilot and 7 passengers, and authorities said the claims could not be independently verified.
- On Thursday, American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin died after his aircraft was set on fire at Balinggama Airstrip in Indonesia's Papua Highlands, authorities confirmed.
- The West Papua Liberation Army, or TPNPB, claimed responsibility through spokesman Sebby Sambom, alleging the pilot transported Indonesian military personnel into a 'conflict zone.'
- PT AMA aircraft departed Wamena Airport at 6:30 a.m. local time before communications ceased shortly after landing at the remote airstrip location.
- Sambom urged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the United Nations to facilitate peace talks, while warning the group will target other civilian aircraft assisting military operations.
- The incident echoes the February 2023 kidnapping of New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens by a group led by Egianus Kogoya, illustrating persistent aviation risks in Papua's long-running insurgency.
107 Articles
107 Articles
West Papuan separatists kill American pilot, burn his plane in what group calls a “message” to Washington
Separatist rebels in Indonesia shot and killed an American pilot and torched his civilian aircraft after it landed at a remote airport in Papua’s Highland province, the armed group’s spokesperson claimed Thursday, calling the attack a deliberate warning to both the United States and Indonesian governments. Nicholas F. Gosselin, an American pilot, was flying into...
Who Was Nicholas F. Gosselin? American Pilot Killed by Papua Separatists in Indonesia
The West Papua National Liberation Army claimed responsibility, alleging the PT AMA aircraft had transported Indonesian troops into a designated conflict zone in defiance of prior warnings.
His plane was also set on fire. According to the rebels, the attack is a "message" to the governments of Indonesia, the US, the Netherlands, and the UN.
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BizTocIndonesian Military Recovers Body Of American Pilot Killed In Papua
An American pilot was killed after separatist rebels attacked his aircraft in Indonesia's restive Papua region, with the Indonesian military confirming on Friday that his body has been recovered, reported by Reuters. According to the report, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters shot dead Nicholas F. 💡Gosselin and set his plane on fire after it landed in Yahukimo, Highland Pap…
His body was found by the Indonesian military.
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