YAJASI Plane Crashes; Three Killed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WAXHAW, N.C. — September 22, 2011 — A Pilatus PC-6 crashed today in Indonesia; pilot Paul Westlund and the two Indonesian passengers died in the accident. The plane—flown by our partner YAJASI—was traveling in a remote, mountainous area. The cause is still unknown, and an investigation is pending.

Paul had flown in Indonesia for nearly 25 years; he’s survived by his wife and two children. Please pray along with us for the families, YAJASI, and everyone else involved.

Updates

September 22: We've confirmed that the crash happened about 1:15 p.m. local time, and the aircraft was PK-UCE—YAJASI's first Pilatus PC-6, which had served there since 2004.

September 27: Paul Westlund's funeral was held today in Sentani, Indonesia—where he was buried in the public cemetery, alongside the people he loved and served for 25 years. The Indonesian passengers' bodies have been returned to their communities, as is custom in Indonesia.

Our hearts remain heavy, but today we celebrate Paul's life—as a husband, father, fellow Christian, and irreplaceable pilot.

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