Three hikers have been killed after a volcano erupted in Indonesia.
Mount Dukono erupted on Friday at 7.41am local time, spewing ash up to 10km into the sky, the country's volcanology agency said. Footage released by the group showed a cloud of hot ash billowing from the crater and blanketing the slopes of the volcano.
Rescue workers found 17 people from a group of 20 hikers who went missing after the eruption began. Fifteen were taken to hospital, police said, and two remained behind to help search for the bodies of three hikers – two Singapore citizens and one Indonesian – who died.
Indonesia's search and rescue agency, known as Basarnas, said the group comprised nine Singaporeans and 11 Indonesians. “The government is continuing to gather information to establish a complete account of the incident,” it added.
Discussions held by authorities suggest “possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals” who proceeded to climb Dukono despite the hiking area being closed by authorities, Basarnas added.
Tourists and climbers have been advised since 2024 to stay at least 4km radius from the main crater, where there is a risk of rocks, ash and lava being spouted into the air. Despite the warnings, hikers have continued to travel to Dukono, especially those seeking extreme climbing experiences and the chance to see an active volcano up close.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific "ring of fire", an area of high seismic activity on top of various tectonic plates. Dukono is on the island of Halmahera, to the east of Sulawesi in North Maluku province.
Volcanic activity decreased last year, but has picked up again since the end of March. Nearly 200 small-scale eruptions have taken place since then, the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia said.
