PORT ANGELES — A former Port Angeles resident has been released from detention in Mozambique where he’d been held since Nov. 4, on undetermined charges.
Ryan Koher, 31, a pilot with Idaho-based Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) —a Christian missionary group working in several African countries — was detained by government authorities while attempting to deliver supplies to an orphanage near the city of Montepuez in the northern part of the country, according to MAF.
Koher and his wife Annabel were living in Port Angeles and attending Calvary Chapel Port Angeles in 2018, according to fellow parishioner Joanne Tisch, while Ryan worked at William R. Fairchild International Airport.
Mozambique, which sits on the southeastern coast of Africa across from the island nation of Madagascar, has been combating an Islamic State-linked insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017.
According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the conflict has displaced nearly 1 million people and insurgent groups have been accused of committing atrocities against civilians.
In a March 15 news release, MAF said Koher and two South African men had been released from detention but were ordered to remain in Mozambique as the case is still ongoing.
MAF said Koher has been able to speak to his wife and children several times and is doing well.
“The executive leadership team of MAF-US expresses its thanks for all those who have been praying for Ryan and his family,” MAF said in a social media post. “We ask for continued prayer that the final outcome will be a full release of Ryan from any charges and trial.”
According to MAF, Koher and the two South African men were undergoing a routine inspection at an airport in southern Mozambique while preparing to deliver supplies to an orphanage in the northern part of the country.
“Before the airplane was loaded, police conducted a normal scan of the goods and had concerns about some vitamins, over-the-counter medications, and food preservative supplies that were going to staff at the orphanages,” MAF said. “Ryan and the two South Africans were detained that day on an accusation that quickly escalated to ‘supporting terrorism.’”
MAF said it is continuing to learn about the case from its legal counsel and that out of respect for the legal process in Mozambique will make no further comment at this time.
Thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes can be sent to Annabel and Ryan at prayforpilotryan@maf.org.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
