Journalist Killed in Plane Shooting Incient in Papua

Jayapura, Papua - Latoge Kogoya, the dead victim who was shot in the neck during the shooting of a Twin Otter airplane at Mulia airport, Puncak Jaya district, Papua, on Sunday morning, was an journalist. Editor of the Pacific Pos Group, Angelbertha Sinaga, confirmed Sunday that Latoge Kogoya alias Leiron Kogoya, was one of her staff members who worked with Papua Pos of Nabire. "He is our reporter who works for Nabire's Papua Pos of the Pacific Pos Group," she said when contacted by ANTARA. ANTARA's sources here said that Leiron Kogoya often conducted trips from Nabire, Mulia to Jayapura or vice versa to carry out his journalistic tasks. It was reported earlier that five passengers were hit by bullets in the shooting by unidentified gunmen of a Trigana Airlines aircraft in Mulia, capital of Puncak Jaya district, Papua, Sunday morning. The Twin Otter plane with a flight code of PK-YRF was shot when it was about to land at Mulia airport. Its pilot, Bebi Astekyang, was hit in the leg while the Late Latoge was hit the neck. Co pilot Willy was also hit by a bullet flake in one of his fingers so that he was unable to control the flight that caused the plane to hit a building at the airport. A woman whose identity is not yet disclosed was also hit in the hand. The shootings by the armed group left holes in the airplane's body. (*)