KEY POINTS
- An Australian pilot and two others have been released after being kidnapped in Papua New Guinea.
- The pilot and two telecom workers were taken at gunpoint during a scheduled stop.
- PNG police believed the group were motivated by a "compensation claim".
An Australian helicopter pilot and two locals kidnapped in a remote part of Papua New Guinea (PNG) have been released unharmed.
The pilot and two Digicel contractors landed at a telecommunications site where they were taken at gunpoint during a scheduled stop on Monday afternoon.
They were released hours later.
"The quick response by our (Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary) was key in arresting this situation," PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told the Australian Associated Press.
"Our men will not stop following through on those criminals until we get them arrested or otherwise."
PNG police believed the group were motivated by a "compensation claim".
Police were in negotiations with the kidnappers and had been cleared to use lethal force, Commissioner David Manning said in a statement before their release was confirmed.
"This is not the first time we have dealt with this type of criminal in the area and in the past kidnappers have been killed," he said in his first statement before their release.
"If that is what it takes to bring this situation to a successful conclusion and free the captives, so be it."
Australian professor in the same region a year ago.
A US$28,000 ($43,000) ransom was reportedly paid to secure their release.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed the Australian pilot had been released.
"We thank the Papua New Guinea Government and Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) for their assistance," the spokesperson said in a statement.
