Head of Peaceful Operations Cartenz 2023 West Papua Faizal Ramadhani suspects that the shooting of the Smart Air plane was investigated by Papua Rebels led by Keny Tipagau.

Keny Tipagau’s group is part of Undius Waker’s Papua Rebels group which often commits terror in the Intan Jaya Regency area.

The shooting occurred when the Smart Air plane carrying Cartenz Peace Task Force personnel was about to land at Homeyo airfield.

Papua Rebels shot at a Smart Air plane that was about to land at Hameyo Airport, Hameyo District, Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua, Tuesday (July, 18/2023).

At the time of the incident, the plane was about to land or land. As a result, the left wing door was hit by gunfire. The police have investigated the scene in relation to the shooting of the Smart Air Caravan aircraft by unknown persons in Central Papua Province.

The Head of Public Relations for the Regional Police Office of Papua, Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, said that from the processing of the incident location, there were four holes in the wing suspected to have been from two bullets.

“Officers found four holes in the left wing of the PK-SNO Caravan aircraft, Serial No. 208B2375, which are suspected to have been caused by two bullet projectiles that penetrated the plane,” said Benny, Tuesday (July, 18/2023).

Nabire Police Station Head I Ketut Suarnaya said the plane was manned by a pilot named Farhan and a co-pilot named Wahyu.

The plane, said Ketut, made its initial flight from Timika Airport, Mimika Regency, to Sugapa Airport, Intan Jaya Regency.

“After transporting seven Brimob personnel, the plane continued its flight to Wagete Airport in Deiyai Regency and Nabire Airport,” he said.

Furthermore, the coordination results found that the plane was shot at around 08.26 (GMT+5), around Pogapa Airport, Homeyo District, Intan Jaya Regency, after the plane landed at the airport.

“As a result of the coordination, when the plane landed at Pogapa Airport, Homeyo District, Intan Jaya Regency, to be precise, at the end of the airport, more than 10 gunshots were heard,” he said.

The police only confirmed that there were no casualties in this incident.