BALINGGAMA, HIGHLAND PAPUA, INDONESIA – JULY 2, 2026 Twenty-nine-year-old American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin was killed on during an armed attack by separatists in the remote Indonesian province of Highland Papua. He worked for Associated Mission Aviation (AMA), which provides air transportation to isolated mountain villages that are virtually inaccessible by any other means. The organization’s aircraft primarily transport local residents, food, mail, medicine, and other essential supplies.
Nicholas F. Goselin
On the day of the attack, Goselin landed a Pilatus PC-6 aircraft at Ipdeheik Airstrip in the village of Balinggama, Yahukimo Regency. Seven Papuan passengers were on board and survived the attack. Shortly after landing, the aircraft was assaulted by armed members of the TPNPB-OPM separatist organization. They shot and killed the pilot and then set the aircraft on fire. The Indonesian military later deployed three helicopters to evacuate his body from the area.
The separatists openly claimed responsibility for the attack. They alleged that the aircraft had repeatedly been used to transport soldiers and military supplies into areas controlled by the rebels, thereby violating what they described as their ban on flights over territory they claim as their own. They described the attack as a “message” to the governments of Indonesia and the United States and threatened further attacks against aircraft they believe are supporting Indonesian security forces. Indonesian authorities, however, stated that it was a civilian flight carrying ordinary passengers.
The incident once again drew attention to the long-running armed conflict in Indonesia’s Papua region, where separatist groups are fighting for the region’s independence. In recent years, attacks targeting civil aviation have become increasingly frequent. In 2023, separatists kidnapped New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens and held him hostage for more than 19 months. In 2024, another attack claimed the life of New Zealand pilot Glen Malcolm Conning.
READ MORE:
https://www.amnesty.id/kabar-terbaru/siaran-pers/indonesia-unlawful-killing-of-us-pilot-in-papua-must-be-investigated/07/2026/
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/rebels-indonesias-papua-kill-american-pilot-burn-plane-spokesperson-says-2026-07-02/
https://en.antaranews.com/news/421412/us-pilots-body-evacuated-after-papua-separatist-attack
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-airlifts-body-of-american-pilot-after-deadly-papua-attack
