Three Killed After Mount Dukono Eruption Traps Hikers on Indonesian Volcano 

A volcanic eruption on an Indonesian island has killed three people and forced residents to flee as authorities warned of further activity. Thick ash and smoke blanketed nearby villages, disrupting daily life and prompting emergency evacuations. Rescue teams are assessing damage and searching affected areas, while officials continue monitoring the volcano and urging people to stay away from danger zones as the risk of additional eruptions remains high.

Three hikers were killed Friday after Indonesia’s Mount Dukono erupted, sending a massive ash plume nearly 10 kilometers (six miles) into the sky and trapping climbers who had ignored official warnings to stay off the volcano.

The victims two Singaporean men, ages 30 and 27, and a local woman from the nearby city of Ternate were part of a 20-member hiking group of Singaporean and Indonesian nationals who had climbed the active volcano despite longstanding restrictions.

Rescue teams successfully evacuated most of the group and transported them to hospitals for treatment, while two porters remained on the mountain to assist search crews working to recover the bodies.

The eruption occurred at 7:41 a.m. local time Friday, according to Indonesian authorities, as several hikers were making their early morning ascent of the volcano on North Maluku island.

Videos and images captured the moment Mount Dukono unleashed a towering column of ash and volcanic debris, blanketing the area and forcing rescue operations into dangerous conditions.

North Halmahera Police Chief Erlichson Pasaribu said repeated eruptions, rugged terrain and intense volcanic blasts had complicated efforts to reach the victims, whose bodies are believed to be near the crater. The recovery mission was suspended Friday night due to darkness and ongoing volcanic activity and is expected to resume Saturday.

Local resident Aldy Salabia, who was assisting rescuers from a nearby shelter, said volcanic material continued to erupt from the crater throughout the day.

“From the shelter, we can see ash and rock material continuously being ejected,” Salabia told BBC Indonesian.

A hiking guide on the mountain at the time of the eruption said he sensed growing pressure inside the volcano in the days leading up to the blast.

“When Dukono hasn’t erupted for a few days, you have to be careful,” he said, describing Friday’s explosion as “major” and “very strong.”

The guide said he saw groups of hikers gathered near the crater, some filming drone footage, moments before he heard deep tremors and decided to descend immediately with his clients.

Indonesian officials said warnings against climbing Mount Dukono had been widely shared through social media and posted at trail entrances, but some hikers ignored the restrictions.

The country’s search and rescue agency, Basarnas, said authorities are investigating possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals who allowed climbers onto the volcano despite the warnings.

Mount Dukono, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, has erupted more than 200 times since March of last year. Since December 2024, Indonesia’s volcanology agency has advised the public to stay at least 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away from the crater due to the risks of falling rocks, lava and explosive eruptions.

Disaster experts say the tragedy underscores the dangers of treating active volcanoes as tourist attractions.

“Active volcanoes can never be treated as ordinary tourist destinations,” said Dr. Daryono of the Indonesian Association of Disaster Experts. He warned that social media posts showing successful climbs often distort public perceptions of risk while masking the ever-present threat of deadly eruptions.

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Source: BBC