Charter plane boss charged over alleged ‘black flight’ plot to smuggle Australians into Indonesia
Singapore: The owner of a small Queensland aviation business is expected to appear in court on Thursday over an alleged plot to smuggle an Australian man on bail for kidnapping, and another wanted for large-scale drug trafficking, into Indonesia.
The alleged “black flight” was busted by Indonesian immigration authorities on November 17 at Merauke, in the Indonesian province of South Papua, when the two men were discovered on board twin-engine Piper aircraft without visas or passports.
The flight from the remote Queensland community of Coen to Merauke was flown by an Indonesian pilot and a young Australian pilot, whom this masthead understands is named Jay Davis.
Sources close to the company have told this masthead that Davis may have been fooled or misled about the nature of the mission.
Grant Schultz, 43, the owner of Rockhampton-based Stirling Helicopters, has been charged with two counts of people smuggling and is expected to appear in court on Thursday.
The three Australians remain detained in Indonesia.
More to come.
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Zach Hope is South-East Asia correspondent. He is a former reporter at the Brisbane Times.Connect via email.
Karuni Rompies is assistant Indonesia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via X.
Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
