Indonesian soldiers and police are searching for a Kiwi pilot who has been taken hostage by separatist fighters in the Papuan province.
The group is threatening to kill Phillip Mehrtens unless the Indonesian government acknowledges the independence of West Papua.
Engulfed in flames on the runway, Mehrten's plane was set alight after he was taken hostage.
Indonesia's chief of police Listyo Sigit Prabowo said its team is now searching for the New Zealander.
"Our joint team of Damai Cartenz is now doing the search operation, and we will inform of the result.”
Pilot Kurt Mastrovich flew with Mehrtens in Papua and is holding out hope for his friend.
"He's very calm, level-headed and intelligent. Having fluent Bahasa Indonesia would do him pretty well too."
Mehrtens was kidnapped on Tuesday when he landed at Paro Airport in the Papuan region of Indonesia.
The West Papua National Liberation Army is claiming responsibility, posting on Facebook: "Pilot is still alive and he will be held hostage for negotiations with Jakarta, if Jakarta is obstinate, then Pilot will be executed to dead."
"The New Zealand embassy in Jakarta are leading the New Zealand Government's response on this issue and that's really all I'm in a position to say publicly about that at the moment," Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said.
The group wants accountability from New Zealand and other nations, claiming those countries supported Indonesia in killing Indigenous Papuans by providing weapons and training their military and police.
The Defence Force told Newshub it needed more time to investigate those claims, but international relations expert Chris Wilson said although our military cooperates with Indonesia's, it's unlikely the group's claims are true.
"Certainly no troops, and as far as I'm aware, we're not providing any arms to that fight."
A fight that's resulted in the execution of several civilians since 2018.
"This is a very dangerous situation and a very sensitive situation," Wilson told Newshub.
A sensitive situation it's hoped will end with the pilot returned to his wife and son in Jakarta.
