American Pilot Killed in Papua, Aircraft Set Ablaze After Landing

An American pilot has been killed in Papua, with the Indonesian military (TNI) discovering his body in the eastern region on Friday. The pilot, identified as Nicholas F. Goselin, worked for Indonesian aviation company PT AMA, which according to its official website, frequently transports food, fuel, and mail to remote villages in Papua. He was reportedly shot dead on Thursday shortly after landing at the Ipdeheik airstrip in Balinggama village, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province. Contact with Goselin was lost after he reported the landing. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and seven passengers at the time. The evacuation involved 10 personnel from the Habema Operations Command after troops secured the remote airstrip in a swift operation, according to Brigadier General TNI Riyanto, Deputy Commander of Habema Operations. Meanwhile, Sebby Sambom, a spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), told Reuters that the group was responsible for the pilot’s killing and the burning of the aircraft. He claimed the plane frequently dropped off Indonesian military personnel and had violated a TPNPB ultimatum. Sambom warned of further attacks if Indonesia continues to allow civilian aircraft to enter the rebel-controlled red zones in Papua, framing the incident as a message to both the Indonesian and US governments that they have failed to address the root causes of the conflict between the Indonesian military and the TPNPB. The US Embassy in Jakarta and PT AMA had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting. This incident follows the February 2023 kidnapping of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens by separatists in Papua after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote highlands of Nduga; he was eventually released in September 2024.