Australian Bryce Barker among three hostages released in Papua New Guinea after ransom paid
- Archaeologist Bryce Barker, a doctoral student and museum researcher were seized by 20 armed men on February 19 and taken miles into the bush
- PNG Prime Minister James Marape said captors had grievance over logging operations; they fled after handing group over and receiving money
An Australian archaeologist and two Papua New Guinea researchers held for a week by 20 armed men in a remote part of the Pacific Island nation were released on Sunday, while their captors remain at large, a local official told Reuters.
Professor Bryce Barker and doctoral student Teppsy Beni from the University of Southern Queensland, and Papua New Guinea National Museum researcher Jemina Haro were released after a ransom payment, said Alphonse Seiyaka, an official with the government of Mount Bosavi, where the three were held in rugged terrain.
“They didn’t catch the criminals,” Seiyaka said. As soon as soldiers exchanged money for the Australian and the two Papua New Guinea women, he said, the captors “ran away into the bush”.
Seiyaka declined to specify the ransom amount but said it was less than the 3.5 million kina (US$960,000) initially demanded.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong thanked the Papua New Guinea government for “securing a safe and peaceful resolution”.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said this was the first such incident in his resource rich but impoverished nation and “it must not be repeated”.
“The police and the army have surrounded the area and will be operating there until you surrender,” he warned the armed men in a statement.