New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed from more than 18 months in captivity in Indonesia’s Papua, the Indonesian police said in a statement on Saturday.

The NZ government said Mr Mehrtens was “safe and well”, and had spoken to family members.

His release came after intense diplomatic efforts by Wellington and Jakarta. Rebels had demanded Indonesia recognise Papuan independence in return for his freedom.

An armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), led by Egianus Kogoya, kidnapped Mr Mehrtens on February 7, 2023, after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.

Mr Mehrtens was freed and picked up by a joint team in Nduga Regency and was undergoing health check-ups and a physiological examination in Timika regency, the police said.

Mr Mehrtens was working for Indonesian airline Susi Air when he was snatched by rebels at Nduga airport in the restive region on February 7 last year.

“Today we have picked up pilot Phillip who is in good health and we flew him from Nduga to Timika,” Faizal Ramadhani, head of a special unit formed to handle rebels in Papua, said in a statement, agencies reported.

The released hostage was then given medical and psychological checks before he was flown to Papua’s city of Timika.

Mr Mehrtens was providing vital air links and supplies to remote communities at the time of his abduction by rebels from the West Papua National Liberation Army.

Indonesia maintains a heavy military presence in resource-rich but underdeveloped Papua to quell a long-running separatist insurgency.

Rebel attacks in Papua have risen in recent years and flying is the only available option to reach remote mountainous areas there.