Indonesian police and military have launched a joint mission to rescue a New Zealander who was seized by rebels in Indonesia’s Papua region on Tuesday, media reports say.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Jakarta Post\u00a0<\/i>is\u00a0reporting authorities have set up a joint search and rescue operation<\/a>\u00a0to try and locate Susi Air pilot Philip Merthens, who was\u00a0detained after landing a small plane on a remote airstrip in the Papuan highlands<\/a>.<\/p>\n The rebels have threatened to execute him if their demands are not met.<\/p>\n Reuters<\/i>\u00a0reported the West Papua National Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the pilot would not be released until the Indonesian government acknowledged the independence of West Papua.<\/p>\n Merthens also had five passengers on board and it was unclear what had happened to them.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Jakarta Post\u00a0<\/i>report said the operation, codenamed Peaceful Carstensz, was launched by Indonesia police and the Indonesian military (TNI). The name Carstensz alludes to the mountainous region where the incident occurred.<\/p>\n Merthens’ location was still unclear due to conflicting information issued on Wednesday, the report said.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also earlier said it was providing consular support to the Merthens’ family and said it would not comment further because of privacy reasons, the\u00a0New Zealand Herald\u00a0<\/i>reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told RNZ he had been given preliminary details and said the New Zealand embassy in Indonesia was working to help free Merthens, according to the\u00a0Herald<\/i>.<\/p>\n A researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta has\u00a0called for the immediate release of the hostages<\/a>\u00a0including Merthens.<\/p>\n Researcher Andreas Harsono knew the main spokesperson of the rebel group, Sebby Sambom, after decades of research in the field.<\/p>\n He made a call to him personally to let the hostages go.<\/p>\n