Indonesian authorities have recovered the body of an American pilot who was killed after armed separatists attacked and set fire to his aircraft in the country's eastern Papua region, the military said on Friday.

The victim, identified as Nicholas F. Goselin, was found and evacuated from a remote village in Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua province, where the attack took place on Thursday.

Military officials said the aircraft was ambushed shortly after landing, accusing an armed separatist group of carrying out the assault before setting the plane ablaze. Security forces have launched an operation to track down those responsible and have tightened security across the surrounding area to prevent further attacks.

The aircraft belonged to PT Air Masiu Anugerah Mandiri (PT AMA), an Indonesian aviation company that operates flights carrying food, fuel, mail and other essential supplies to isolated communities across Papua, according to the company's website.

Authorities have not disclosed how many attackers were involved or what weapons were used. They also did not provide further details about the condition or whereabouts of any passengers reportedly on board at the time of the attack.

Papua has been the scene of a long-running low-level insurgency, with armed separatist groups frequently targeting Indonesian security forces, government personnel and civilian aircraft serving remote areas. The rugged terrain and limited infrastructure have made access to many communities heavily dependent on air transport.

The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Papua, where Indonesian authorities continue security operations against separatist fighters while seeking to maintain access to essential services in the region.(ILKHA)