Indonesian war planes violate PNG airspace

Sukhoi Indonesia

A Papua New Guinea report says two Indonesian military jets were scrambled to confront an Australian Defence Force aircraft near the border over West Sepik on Friday.

The Post Courier reports the information was in a PNG intelligence report which said in the process, the Indonesian aircraft violated PNG air space although the presence of the Australian aircraft was also a surprise.

Neither the Australians nor the Indonesians have confirmed the incident.However PNG Air Services, which is responsible for air traffic movement, says that it approved the flight of the Australian Kingair aircraft over West Sepik.

According to the intelligence report the Indonesian jets flew over Wutung village, which is next to the PNG-Indonesia border post.

PNG Customs Service officers at the Wutung, servicing the border post, also confirmed this.

The incident comes a month after a group of Indonesian soldiers were alleged to have made a brief unauthorised border crossing.

 ★ radionz