Flying object scares villagers

 By GABRIEL FITO

POLICE say villagers in a remote village near the border with Indonesia in West Sepik reported seeing an unidentified flying object last Thursday.

Provincial police commander Supt Robert Gesa said reports reaching local police were sketchy but the object has been described as a “one-seater chopper.”

“I know it’s a flying glider because from the report it is much smaller than a helicopter with a single seat in front and a small engine at the back,” he said.

He said the identity of the pilot was “a mystery because no one saw him landing”.

“But the villagers believed the man flew across the border, left the machine and decamped before they arrived,” Gesa said.

The villagers carried the machine to the village for safe-keeping and to allow authorities to investigate how the strange object arrived near their village.

Gesa said there had been earlier reports of arrivals by foreigners to work in logging companies in Vanimo. 

They use gliders and other similar means of flying to avoid detection.

The provincial intelligence committee of which the provincial administrator is the chairman, would also meet to discuss the incident.