A powerful eruption from Mount Dukono, a highly active volcano on Indonesia’s North Maluku island, has resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two Singaporean nationals and one local resident. The volcano spewed a column of ash an estimated 10 kilometers (six miles) into the sky, with dramatic videos and pictures circulating of the event. The victims were part of a larger group of 20 hikers who had ventured onto the mountain despite explicit warnings and existing restrictions against climbing.

The latest eruption occurred at 07:41 local time on Thursday morning, catching several citizens, including the deceased, on early morning hikes. The two foreign victims have been identified as males aged 30 and 27, while the local fatality was a female from the nearby city of Ternate. While the majority of the hiking group has been safely evacuated and transported to a hospital, the bodies of the three deceased remain on the mountain. Retrieval efforts, confirmed by North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu, have been severely hampered by repeated eruptions, challenging terrain, and strong volcanic blasts. Two porters from the group have bravely stayed behind to assist rescue workers in locating the bodies, as Mount Dukono continued to emit volcanic material through Friday afternoon.

Indonesian officials had widely disseminated warnings, including via social media, advising against climbing Mount Dukono due to safety concerns. The Indonesian search and rescue agency, Barsanas, has initiated discussions among authorities to investigate potential negligence by tourism operators or individuals who proceeded with the climb despite these clear advisories. Mount Dukono is currently at level two of Indonesia’s four-tier volcano alert system, indicating heightened activity and a need for extreme caution. The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (PVMBG) has, since December 2024, recommended a 4-kilometer exclusion zone around the main crater due to threats of ejected rocks, ash, and lava. Experts, including Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, Head of PVMBG, and Dr. Daryono from the Indonesian Association of Disaster Experts, have consistently emphasized that active volcanoes like Dukono, with their almost continuous eruptive activity, should never be treated as ordinary tourist destinations, warning against the distorted risk perception often created by social media content.

Retrieval operations for the bodies were paused as night fell on Friday evening and are scheduled to resume on Saturday morning, with authorities continuing to gather information to fully account for the incident.