KKB Allegedly Shoots Asian One Plane Landing at Papua's Ilaga Airport

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The armed criminal group or KKB allegedly shot Asian One plane that was about to land at Aminggaru Ilaga Airport, Puncak Regency, Papua on Friday morning, May 13, at around 10:00 a.m. Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT).

“As a result, the plane returned to Timika without unloading the goods it carried,” said Ilaga Aminggaru Airport Management Unit (UPBU) Head Herman Sujito, as quoted from Antara in Jayapura, Friday, May 13, 2022.

Herman explained that based on the report, the cargo plane belonging to the chartered airline was about to land when two gunshots were heard. Thus, the pilot decided to return to its original region, Timika.

Additionally, when the plane was about to make a turn, a gunshot was heard again and fortunately, the bullet did not hit the fuselage. “There were no casualties or damaged properties in the incident,” said Herman.

He also mentioned that there were three other cargo planes flying behind the Asian One plane during the incident. They all then returned to Timika, Papua. “After the shooting incident, no planes landed at Aminggaru Ilaga Airport,” Herman said.

The Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have not issued an official statement regarding the incident until now.

Read: Police Report Another Shootout with Armed Groups in Papua

ANTARA