Two pilots from PT Smart Cakrawala Aviation, commonly known as Smart Air, were tragically killed after being shot by militia from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) at Korowai Batu Airport in Yaniruma District, Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua, on Tuesday, February 11. The incident plunged the nearby Danowage village into a state of fear and tension, according to local residents.
Many residents also expressed frustration, believing the tragic event could have been averted had authorities taken serious action against illegal gold mining, an activity rampant in the area for years. “Last week, a mother reported to me that she received information about armed individuals ready to shoot newcomers at the mine,” stated a local education activist in Danowage village, Yaniruma District, who requested anonymity for safety reasons. This activist linked the violence directly to the unchecked access facilitated by the illegal mining. “I believe all of this started from the open access, followed by illegal mining. The security, comfort, and welfare of the local community have been severely disrupted,” the activist elaborated, adding that Danowage was once considered a very safe place, where local residents and evangelists deeply cared for migrants.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Jimmy, an indigenous Papuan evangelist in Danowage, spearheaded the evacuation of teachers and medical workers from Lentera Harapan School and Siloam Clinic, most of whom were migrants. This self-funded evacuation involved traditional wooden boats, known as ketinting, traversing a 30-kilometer river journey from Danowage to Yaniruma Airport. From Yaniruma, the evacuees were then airlifted to Sentani aboard a missionary foundation’s aircraft. “We had to evacuate them to another place so they would be safe,” Jimmy explained, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) swiftly claimed responsibility for the killing of the two pilots, identified as Egon Erawan and Baskoro Adi Anggoro. The pro-independence Papuan militia justified their actions by alleging that Smart Aviation frequently transported Indonesian security forces to various locations across Papua. “Pilots from this airline company ignored the warnings consistently issued by the TPNPB central headquarters,” a written statement from the group asserted.
BBC News Indonesia reached out to Smart Air Executive Manager, Lerry Janurengers, regarding these allegations. However, he stated that the company was not yet able to provide any comment. “Currently, we are still focused on the repatriation of the bodies, giving time to the families, and awaiting information from the authorities,” Janurengers said.
Further insight from Jimmy, the evangelist in Danowage, revealed that planes landing at Korowai Batu Airport frequently carried illegal gold miners. He identified this as a significant contributing factor to the shooting of the two Smart Air pilots. In 2017, BBC News Indonesia published an investigative report highlighting the presence of illegal mines in the tropical rainforests of the region, accessible only by foot from Danowage or by helicopter. These illegal mining sites are located across a vast area spanning five regencies: Boven Digoel, Asmat, Mappi, Yahukimo, and Pegunungan Bintang.
Papua Police spokesperson, Kombes Cahyo Sukarnito, claimed via text message that illegal gold mining near Danowage had been shut down by police and the Papua Provincial Government. However, Jimmy presented a contrasting reality. “It’s still bustling up there,” he said, referring to the mining locations. He further elaborated on the TPNPB’s stance: “The TPNPB has repeatedly stated that migrants and gold miners should not come here, but they refuse to listen and force their way in, leading to casualties. The pilots also became victims because miners board the planes and disembark in Danowage. Ultimately, we all suffer the consequences here.”
The Indonesian Pilots Association (IPI) condemned the shooting of the two Smart Air pilots as a “heartbreaking tragedy.” The association urged the government to temporarily close airports deemed high-security risks and only reopen them once robust security guarantees are in place. Jimmy’s testimony paints a stark picture of state absence in Danowage. “The state has never been present in Danowage,” he asserted, explaining that there are no police or government officials in the village. “Since the beginning, there has only been an airport, a school, and a clinic. The only services available are from the church.”
Why TPNPB Targeted Pilots
Two TPNPB leaders, Elkius Kobak and Kopitua Heluka, claimed responsibility for the killing of the Smart Aviation pilots. These individuals have a history of repeatedly threatening and attacking aircraft they accuse of transporting police and military personnel to Yahukimo Regency and its surrounding areas. Notably, ahead of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming’s planned visit to Yahukimo last January, Elkius and Kopitua issued similar threats, which ultimately led to the cancellation of Gibran’s visit to the regency, a known epicenter of armed conflict in Papua.
The threats against airlines accused of assisting in the deployment of police and military forces are not limited to Elkius and Kopitua’s faction in Yahukimo; they are echoed by other TPNPB networks across different regions. For instance, at Sugapa Airport in Intan Jaya Regency on January 31, a TPNPB militia led by Apeni Kobagao issued an identical warning. “If the authorities continue to conduct business with airlines in Intan Jaya, then we will continue to launch attacks,” Apeni declared, highlighting a widespread and consistent TPNPB policy.
Indeed, numerous official publications confirm that both the Indonesian police and military have utilized Smart Air for their operational needs. In September 2021, police chartered a Smart Air plane to evacuate migrant residents from Kiwirok District, Pegunungan Bintang, following TPNPB attacks that included the burning of public facilities and assaults on health workers. Brigadier General I Gusti Agung Winatha, then serving as Head of Task Force Elang III, flew to Ilaga, Puncak Regency, aboard a Smart Aviation aircraft in September 2022. In January 2023, police again used a Smart Air plane to evacuate 58 migrant residents from Oksibil District, Pegunungan Bintang, to Jayapura, after a TPNPB attack on the district center.
Smart Air aircraft have also directly faced TPNPB hostilities. On August 18, 2023, a Smart Air plane carrying seven police officers from the Cartenz Task Force to Pogapa Airport in Homeyo District, Intan Jaya, came under fire from TPNPB militia during its landing approach, prompting it to abort the landing and return to the air. This was not an isolated incident; in March 2023, another Smart Air plane was shot at in Bilorai Airport, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya. Further attacks occurred in July 2024, when a plane from the same airline was targeted at Sinak Airport, Puncak Regency.
Eyewitness Account of the Korowai Batu Shooting
The Smart Air Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, flight code PK-SNR, departed from Tanah Merah Airport, Boven Digoel Regency, at 10:38 AM Eastern Indonesia Time (WIT). It carried 13 passengers, including an infant, and landed at Korowai Batu Airport around 11:05 AM WIT. According to Jimmy, the local evangelist, approximately 15 Danowage residents were near the runway as the plane prepared to land, a common sight in many parts of Papua accessible primarily by air.
As the two Smart Air pilots and passengers disembarked, several armed individuals suddenly emerged from the treeline beside Korowai Batu Airport. Jimmy recounted that the sight of these armed men triggered panic, with residents and passengers scrambling towards the airport building, while the two pilots attempted to flee into the nearby forest. “The pilots entered a few meters into the forest, then those people captured them and brought them out of the forest,” Jimmy detailed. The pilots, Egon Erawan and Baskoro Adi Anggoro, were then led towards the hangar, where the TPNPB militia fatally shot them. “The residents were confused. Everyone panicked. Those people were fully armed, so the residents couldn’t move. Everyone remained silent—terrified,” Jimmy described the harrowing scene.
Jimmy noted that the armed individuals were unknown to the Danowage villagers, suggesting they were militia members typically operating in Yahukimo, an assessment consistent with the claims of TPNPB leaders Elkius Kobak and Kopitua Heluka. During the chaos, Jimmy, along with other residents, made concerted efforts to prevent the militia from spotting the teachers and medical staff from Lentera Harapan School and Siloam Clinic in Danowage. After the shooting, Jimmy and the villagers successfully concealed these educators and healthcare workers in what they considered a safe location.
How the Pilot Association Responded
In a press statement delivered in South Tangerang on Thursday, February 12, the Indonesian Pilots Association (IPI) vehemently condemned the killing of the two Smart Air pilots as an inhumane act. According to IPI Chairman Muammar Reza Nugraha, this killing constitutes a grave violation of aviation security principles enshrined in national laws and the internationally recognized Chicago Convention.
Rama Noya, a member of the IPI Honorary Council, emphasized that pilots are civilians and should never be targeted in armed conflicts. Acknowledging that many remote areas in Papua rely heavily on pioneer flights for transportation, Noya stressed that attacks on civilian pilots directly harm the interests of the community. “We are civilian pilots providing services for the general public,” Rama stated. “An attack on a civilian pilot is tantamount to attacking the community itself, because a large portion of transportation in Papua is conducted by air.”
What is the Connection to Illegal Gold Mining?
As highlighted by the evangelist in Danowage, an education activist in the district also corroborated that Smart Air aircraft were indeed transporting illegal gold miners to Korowai Batu. Within the volatile context of armed conflict in Papua, illegal gold miners have repeatedly become targets for TPNPB militia. BBC News Indonesia sought Smart Air’s response to these statements, but the company reiterated its inability to comment publicly at this time.
For the residents of Danowage village, the impact of illegal gold mining is profound, according to the education activist. The Deiram River, once a vital resource, has turned increasingly brown, and villagers no longer dare to consume fish or shrimp from its waters. “Gold mining destroys security and disrupts the local community’s ecosystem. This is what’s happening,” the activist lamented. “Most noticeably, children can no longer swim and fish as they used to. Now they only eat bananas, cassava, and hunt in the forest on Saturdays.” Papua Police Public Relations Chief, Kombes Cahyo Sukarnito, however, denied these claims, asserting that police had successfully closed down gold mining activities around Danowage and Korowai Batu.
What Authorities Have Said So Far
Brigadier General Faizal Ramadhani, Head of Operations for the Cartenz Task Force, confirmed the deployment of 20 personnel to secure Korowai Batu Airport. These officers also played a crucial role in ensuring the safe evacuation of the two Smart Air pilots to Timika, without any further exchanges of fire. “Currently, we are focused on area sterilization and ensuring the situation is truly conducive,” Faizal stated, emphasizing, “The safety of the community and regional stability are our top priorities.” In addition to police, 12 Air Force soldiers are now stationed at Korowai Batu Airport.
Beyond securing the airport, Faizal affirmed the authorities’ commitment to ensuring the safety of approximately 39 Danowage residents who were displaced following the pilots’ murders. He also confirmed that the 13 passengers on the Smart Air flight were unharmed and have since returned to their homes around Danowage. Faizal concluded by stating that the police would launch enforcement operations against Elkius Kobak, Kopitua Heluka, and other TPNPB forces responsible for the attack.
Summary
Two Smart Air pilots were tragically shot and killed by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) at Korowai Batu Airport in Boven Digoel, South Papua. The TPNPB claimed responsibility, stating that Smart Aviation ignored warnings and frequently transported Indonesian security forces, a justification consistently cited for their attacks on airlines in the region. Official publications indeed confirm that Smart Air aircraft have been utilized by both police and military for operational deployments and evacuations.
Local residents and an evangelist in Danowage linked the incident to rampant illegal gold mining, asserting that Smart Air planes often transported illegal miners, making them targets for the TPNPB. In the aftermath, the Indonesian Pilots Association condemned the attack as inhumane, emphasizing that pilots are civilians and urging the government to enhance security at high-risk airports. Authorities have since deployed security forces to Korowai Batu Airport, evacuated the pilots’ bodies, and committed to launching enforcement operations against the TPNPB leaders responsible for the attack.