Papuan separatists were reported to have opened fire on a Smart Air plane as it was about to land at Sinak Airport, Puncak, Central Papua Province, West Papua, Indonesia, on Monday (8/7) afternoon. Cartenz Peace Operations Public Relations Commissioner Bayu Suseno said the shooting occurred when a Smart Air plane with registration PK-SNH was landing at around 11.40 GMT +9.

“The shooting occurred at around 11.40 GMT +9 and hit the plane’s propeller blade, but there were no casualties in this incident,” he said in a written statement, Tuesday (9/7).

“The plane pilot swiftly decided to continue landing at Sinak Airport and wait for a safe situation to return to Nabire,” he added.

A few moments after the shooting, Bayu said that the second plane from NGA Airlines on the Timika-Sinak route also managed to land in safe conditions.

“The plane pilot swiftly decided to continue landing at Sinak Airport and wait for a safe situation to return to Nabire,” he added.

A few moments after the shooting, Bayu said that the second plane from NGA Airlines on the Timika-Sinak route also managed to land in safe conditions.

He added that after the situation started to become conducive, the two planes were immediately flown back to Nabire and Mimika respectively.

Furthermore, Bayu said that apart from shooting at the Smart Air plane, Papuan Separatists also carried out another attack on the Indonesian Army Yonif 751 Logistics Warehouse Post.

As a result of the attack, he said there was a firefight between Papuan separatists and officers on guard at the location. Nevertheless, Bayu said there were no casualties in the action.

“After carrying out the shooting, the joint forces immediately responded by chasing the group,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, through his written statement, Papuan Separatist Spokesperson Sebby Sambom confirmed that there had been an attack on the Smart Air plane.

He claimed that the shooting was carried out because the Smart Air plane was carrying TNI troops and logistics from the Nabire area for operations in Sinak.

“We shot down a civilian plane at Sinak Airport because the plane was disembarking Indonesian military troops and logistics,” he said.