REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Trigana Air commercial plane was shot several times on Sunday morning as it landed in Mulia airfield, Puncak Jaya, Papua. A passenger dead and four others wounded. Armed separatist group is allegedly behind the tragedy.

“The act was a violence and terror to civilians and air service. The terror in Papua must be stopped,” the Coordinating Minister of Politics, Legal, and Security, Djoko Suyanto, said on Sunday.

He added Indonesian National Police aided by Indonesian National Army and local government were conducting the pursuit of the terrorist. The peace efforts and development priority in Papua, he said, should not be stained by the irresponsible act that took some lives. The shot also hindered the public service generally, especially for air transportation.

The Spokesman of Indonesian National Police, Boy Rafli Amar, said the shot was conducted by armed civilian. “We still investigate the case,” he said

Meanwhile, Indonesian National Military Spokesman Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul believes that the shooter is armed separatist group. Yet, Sitompul cannot conclude that the suspect is Free Papua Movement (OPM). He is only sure that the suspect is still on Papua.

The shot was aimed to inflict the environment. He warned people not to be triggered and accuse a party, such as OPM, as the suspect. The shooting of the Twin Otter plane happened on Sunday at 08.21 Central Indonesian Time.

The plane was flown from Nabire to Mulia carrying two crews and three passengers. The projectile hit the pilot, Captain Beby Astek (40 years) and Copilot, Willy Resubun (30 years). Both of them then lose the plane’s control. The plane hit the ground hard and crashed into the warehouse.

Other passengers were also hit by the projectile. They were Yanti Hariminggu (30 years) and Papua Korwa (4 years). A passenger named Leiron Kogoya Muliambut (35 years), the journalist of Papua Pos, dead after the bullet went through his neck. Several bullet holes are seen in the plane body and cockpit mirror.

The Manager of Trigana Air in Papua Area, Bustomi Eka Prayitno, said that the flight to Mulia would be stopped until the situation was conducive. The pilot and passenger safety isthe main reason. “If the safety is guaranteed, we will continue providing service and operation,” he said.

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