Indonesian Papuans hijacked a plane with crew and passengers

Papuan separatists in Western Indonesia hijacked a plane of the local airline Susi Air and took the crew and passengers hostage.

Members of the militant organization "National Liberation Army of West Papua" (TPNPB) demand that the country's authorities give independence to the province of West Papua.

A Susi Air pilot was captured when he flew to the Indonesian province of Papua Pegunungan to deliver passengers. The plane was burned. The passengers were eventually released, but the pilot is still being held hostage. He was photographed to show that he is healthy and has no injuries.

West Papua is the western part of the island of New Guinea, which belongs to Indonesia and is inhabited mainly by Papuans. The movement for the independence of the region was formed in the mid-1960s and continues to operate today. In Indonesia, TPNPB is recognized as a terrorist organization.