As for blox yes he should have done his paperwork but he certainly shouldn't be in jail
Agree it's harsh treatment but I don't think any Oz pilots will try flying to Papua without making SURE their paperwork is in order from now on.
However Indo is VERY sensitive about Papua , had he landed in Bali and not at a military airbase in Papua it would have been a different story.
Actually the fact he did land at an airbase actually helps show his naiveity , if it was a 'spy' flight he would have chosen a remote airfield somewhere.
I think the passengers should have been released immediately.
To put the shoe on the other foot though ... if an Indo registered aircraft had landed at Tindal airbase in NT without filing a flight plan what would happen ? Serious question , would the pilot be told he had made a mistake and be allowed to return to Indo straight away with his plane or would there be involvement from the Federal Police and intelligence services to at least check out that it was an innocent mistake as well as an administrative fine ? Could the aircraft be impounded under Australian law ?
I know of at least 1 light twin that was confiscated by Indonesia coming north from the Philipines with an American on board with no flight plan. I don't know if the guy was put in jail but he lost his plane.
Good argument for using a flight planning service like Jeppesen when transiting Indo airspace and landing at their airports.
TIFY ... thats Indonesia for ya ....