Two fugitives and the pilot who took them on a “black flight” from Far North Queensland to a remote part of Indonesia could be free within the month, after being handed seven-month sentences by an Indonesian court.
Zulfukar Aljubouri and Duong Tan Le, both wanted in Australia, have been detained along with their pilot Jay Victor Davis since they arrived in Merauke, in the restive province of South Papua in November. They had taken a private flight from Port Stewart, 600 kilometres north of Cairns.
Aljubouri, 34, had been bailed in NSW on kidnapping charges, and 35-year-old Duong had three outstanding warrants, including for supplying a large quantity of drugs, according to the Australian Federal Police.
Aljubouri and Duong did not have visas or passports when they entered the highly dangerous province, according to Indonesian officials.
The pair were given their sentence and fined 100 million Rupiah ($7800 AUD) late last month, and will likely be deported back to Australia.
Indonesian officials had initially thought the men had wanted to stay in the country, but the prosecutor, Kasmawati, later said they had planned to make their way to their countries of birth – Iran for Aljubouri and Vietnam for Duong.
Aljubouri apparently told her they were on the run after a tobacco rival had shot up his house.
Davis, who told the court he did not know the pair lacked travel documents, was given the same punishment on Monday, meaning he could be free by June 18.
All three had been facing maximum jail sentences of five years.
Back in Australia, Davis’s boss at the Rockhampton-based Stirling Helicopters, Grant Schultz, was charged with facilitating the flight in March.
Australian Federal Police alleged Schultz, 42, co-ordinated a people-smuggling operation to help the men escape Australia.
“We allege he co-ordinated a network of connected charter flights on different planes and with different companies over a week to smuggle the fugitives from NSW to north Queensland and then on to Indonesia,” AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said.
Telfer said the transponder had been turned off on the twin-engine plane when it left Queensland and was re-activated over international waters.
An Indonesian pilot, whom Kasmawati said was invited to train with Stirling Aviation in October 2025, was also on the flight.
Stirling Helicopters entered administration on March 11 this year, the same day the AFP arrested Schultz and charged him with two counts of people smuggling.
With Zach Hope
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
From our partners
Read the full article here
