New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens (centre), who was snatched by rebels in Indonesia's restive region of Papua in February last year, gestures as he walks with New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett (centre, right) after arriving from Central Papua by an air force plane at Halim Perdanakusuma air base in Jakarta on 21 September 21, 2024. Photo: YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP
The family of freed New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens say they are "extremely grateful and relieved" he has been released and will soon be reunited with them.
Local police announced on Saturday the New Zealand pilot had been freed after more than one and a half years in captivity in West Papua, Indonesia.
The armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army kidnapped Mehrtens in February 2023 after he landed a small commercial plane in a remote, mountainous area.
This afternoon Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement he was able to share new details of Mehrtens' release.
"Mr Mehrtens' release involved a wide range of people and organisations, and the New Zealand Government wishes to acknowledge the Papuan community figures, who with the help of the Indonesian Government, assisted in ensuring Phillip's safe release.
"We are also thankful to the Indonesian authorities in Timika for looking after Phillip yesterday. They enabled him to call his family and did all they could to ensure his comfort with food and water, a shower and a change of clothes.
"Yesterday evening the Indonesian authorities flew Mr Mehrtens to Halim Airforce base in Jakarta, where he was met off the plane by New Zealand's Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett.
"Mr Mehrtens had a private reunion with his immediate family last night. After 600 days he also got to spend his first night sleeping in a bed.
"He has this morning been checked by an Australian Embassy doctor and is in remarkably good shape given his long and arduous ordeal."
Peters repeated his earlier call to allow the family privacy as Mehrtens recovers.
Phillip Mehrtens, left, with former acting Bupati of Nduga regency, Edison Gwijangge, in the helicopter on his release from captivity. Photo: Mehrtens family / Supplied
Family releases statement
The family also released a statement via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade today, thanking a number of those involved in his release and asking for privacy.
"The last 19 and a half months have been very difficult for all of us, and we give our heartfelt thanks to our friends, family and community for their love and kindness during this time.
"There were so many people involved in the effort to find and release Phil ... but we are extremely grateful to the Indonesian government - including the Indonesian police and Indonesian military - for prioritising peaceful negotiations in order to keep Phil safe."
The family said they were also grateful the army allowed Mehrtens to get "several messages" out to them during his time in captivity.
"Those messages filled our souls and gave us hope and that we would eventually see Phil again."
The Mehrtens family said there would be "forever" grateful to the New Zealand government and police, the New Zealand embassy in Jakarta, Hostage International and Susi Air for their "incredible" support and care.
"The team at MFAT and the Embassy, in particular, went above and beyond from the minute Phil was taken.
"We are so grateful for the trust they placed in us and the daily updates they provided. As challenging as this has been, it would have been inordinately harder if we were not aware of how hard everyone was working and what actions were being taken.
"Seeing how diligently and caringly they serve the people of this country makes us incredibly proud to be Kiwis."
The family thanked the New Zealand media "for showing restraint and sensitivity" during Mehrtens time in Papua and asked for privacy "so he can adjust to life after captivity".
"Phillip has been through a long and arduous ordeal, and he now needs time and space to recover."
New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens was photographed with his rebel captors in Indonesia's Papua region. Photo: Supplied/TPNPB
Negotiations had stumbled - West Papua Action Aotearoa
West Papua Action Aotearoa spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said it was a relief Mehrtens was freed before Indonesia's new president took power.
Indonesia's new president Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in on 20 October.
New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens following his release at a press conference in Timika. Photo: HANDOUT
Delahunty, a former Green MP, said previous negotiations had stumbled and it was a relief they had finally reached a peaceful solution.
"This has been such a long and difficult ordeal for him and his family. We're all really worried about whether it would be possible. Getting him free was a series of very delicate negotiations," she said.
"Many of them have started and stumbled and not led to anything. It's a great relief that he is free. And I think one of the things that was important to people over there is they really wanted to get this resolved before the new president of Indonesia, who he has a terrible reputation associated with his military career before he became president. And they have achieved that.
"And as far as I know, there was no bloodshed."