Jayapura – Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri said TNI and Polri personnel were pursuing the armed criminal group responsible for shooting down the Wings Air plane as it was about to land at Nop Goliath Dekai Airport, Yahukimo, Saturday. The shooting incident which occurred on Saturday afternoon at around 13.20 WIT, 17 February 2024 resulted in the bullet penetrating the fuselage.
“There were no casualties in the shooting incident on the plane with flight code PK-WGT,” said the Regional Police Chief, Sunday, February 18 2024.
From the report received by the Regional Police Chief, it was revealed that the shooting occurred when the Wings Air plane carrying dozens of passengers was about to land at Nop Goliat Dekai Airport, capital of Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountain Province. The incident started when a gunshot was heard which apparently hit the left side of the Wings Air plane which was about to land.
The plane carrying 36 passengers was reported to have flown again via Timika. A passenger on the Wings Air plane named Pratu Ongen who was sitting in seat number 19 A was reportedly hit by gunshot debris and suffered abrasions on his neck.
Regarding which armed criminal group (KKB) carried out the shooting, the Papua Police Chief admitted that he could not confirm it. “Members are still conducting in-depth investigations to reveal who the perpetrator is,” said Fakhiri.
