TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The news that has caught the reader’s attention until this morning includes the helicopter that was boarded Jambi Police Chief Inspector General Rusdi Hartono on Sunday 19 February 2023 experienced a disturbance. Then, the joint TNI-Polri team that joined the Carstensz Peaceful Operation 2023 seized dozens of pieces of evidence allegedly belonging to the OPM during the operation to free the Susi Air pilot. Here’s a summary:
1. Chronology of the Jambi Police Chief’s Helicopter: Rescue Drama and Current Conditions
Jambi Regional Police Chief Inspector General Rusdi Hartono this morning boarded a Bell 412 SP helicopter with registration number P-300. Kapolda Rusdi departed from Sultan Thaha Jambi Airport with the aim of Depati Parbo Airport on Sunday, 19 February 2023.
The departure of Kapolda Rusdi that morning was for a working visit at 09.25 WIB. The Jambi Police Chief and his entourage flew to the location to inaugurate the Kerinci Police Integrated Service Center (SPKT) Office, as well as secure the Visit of Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla in Kerinci.
Should Jambi Police Chief’s helicopter it is estimated to have arrived at 10.45 WIB. After 75 minutes, the helicopter with a crew consisting of AKP Ali Nurdin S Harahapp (Pilot), AKP Amos Freddy P Sitompul (Copilot), and AIPDA Susilo (Mechanic) still had not arrived. It was even reported that the Jambi Police Chief’s helicopter had lost contact.
“Suddenly it was reported that the helicopter had made an emergency landing,” said Jambi Police Public Relations Head Kombes Mulia Prianto, Monday 20 February 2023.
At 11.02 WIB, the Jambi Police Post received a report from the crew that the Bell 412 SP Registration P-3001 helicopter had to make an emergency landing. It is estimated that it will land at Coordinate point S20 9′ 3.53” E1010 42′ 12.63”, to be precise in Tamiai Village, Batang Merangin District, Kerinci Regency, due to bad weather.
Members of the joint evacuation team from the National Police, Basarnas, and the TNI immediately searched for the Regional Police Chief Rusdi and his entourage. They deployed as many as 6 helicopters.
Meanwhile, the ground evacuation team consisted of 12 people directly led by the Head of the Kerinci Police, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Patria Yudha Rahadian, who also carried out a sweep.
“They entered via Jembatan Payung Village, Batang Merangin District, Kerinci Regency, on Sunday, February 20, 2023. However, during the trip to the drop point, a number of members of the evacuation team experienced problems,” said Head of the Public Relations Division at the National Police Headquarters, Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo.
As many as 3 people had experienced leg cramps while heading to the point where they fell. Meanwhile, 9 other people headed for the heli point and the entourage of the Kapolda, who at that time was 2 kilometers away from the location.
“At around 02.00 WIB, the evacuation team experienced trouble. As many as three people experienced cramps and were followed by nine people heading for the helicopter point and the group of the Regional Police Chief, who at that time was 2 kilometers away from the location,” said Dedi Prasetyo in a written statement, Monday, February 20, 2023.
Despite having problems, the land evacuation team finally found the Jambi Police Chief’s group on Monday morning at 04.00 WIB. The Evacuation Team immediately provided assistance in the form of Police Supplementary Food (MTP), blankets, water, which were sent by helicopter to the Jambi Police Directorate of Water and Air.
Meanwhile, the air evacuation team led by Deputy Commander of the Mobile Brigade Unit for the Jambi Police Adjutant Senior Commissioner Boi Sutan Binaga Siregar headed for the evacuation site.
Air evacuation was carried out because land routes were not possible. The Jambi Police Chief’s group helicopter emergency landing site has steep contours and the landscape there is dense forest and hills.
In the current condition, the victim was temporarily evacuated to the Sungaipuh Hospital, Kerinci Regency, before being flown to a hospital in Jambi City. All passengers and crew survived, but sustained injuries. Jambi Police Chief suffered a fracture in the hand.
2. Susi Air Pilot Release Operation: Officers Confiscate Weapons and Cameras, Allegedly Owned by OPM
The joint TNI-Polri team joined in the 2023 Carstensz Peaceful Operation seized dozens of pieces of evidence allegedly belonging to the West Papua National Liberation Army – the Free Papua Organization or TPNPB – OPM in the Nduga region. This set of equipment was found in the midst of rescue efforts pilot Susi Air who are currently being held hostage by the TPNPB-OPM led by Egianus Kogoya.
“Dozens of pieces of evidence have been taken from the Simaldi camp, TNI post 514 PR, Kenyam District to the Headquarters of the Nduga Police in the framework of an investigation,” said the Head of Peaceful Operations Carstensz 2023, Sr. Comr. Faizal Ramdhani in a written statement, Monday, 20 February 2023.
Faizal said that the evidence was found after they secured propaganda tools in two different places. The evidence found included a Revolver shotgun, an AK magazine, a firearm spring, a cell phone, documents, a camera, and others.
“For now, Cartenz-2023 Peace Ops investigators and Nduga Police investigators are collecting data and examining the evidence that has been found,” said Faizal.
Previously, the TPNPB-OPM led by Egianus Kogoya reportedly burned the plane belonging to Susi Air piloted by Philip Mark Merthens on 7 February 2023. To this day, Philip is still being held hostage by TPNPB-OPM.
Apart from Philip, 15 workers who were building a health center in Paro were also threatened with death by TPNPB-OPM. However, the 15 workers were able to survive after being evacuated by a joint TNI-Polri team.
On the other hand, today as many as 18 residents of Alama Village in Alama District, Nduga Regency, Highlands Papua Province, were evacuated to a neighboring province, to be precise to Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province. They fled due to the TPNPB-OPM terror.
“Kampung Alama is indeed a village that is a crossing point for the KST (Terrorist Separatist Group) mob, so that the community is restless and threatened,” said Danrem 172/PWY Brigadier General TNI JO Sembiring in a written statement, Monday, 20 February 2023. Sembiring had previously been appointed as Dankolaksops TNI to release of pilot Susi Air.
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