A tragic incident occurred after the Dukono volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted violently on Friday morning, resulting in at least three hikers dead and ten others missing.
Police in North Halmahera, eastern Indonesia, revealed the deceased include two foreigners and one Indonesian from Ternate city. Rescue officials reported earlier that as many as 20 hikers were missing, including nine Singaporeans.
Local Indonesian media reported that two of the dead might be Singaporean, but there has been no official confirmation of their nationality yet.
The Dukono volcano, located in North Maluku province, erupted at 07:41 local time, spewing smoke and ash plumes over 10 kilometers into the sky accompanied by loud explosions.
Indonesia’s Geological Agency warned that the ash clouds could pose health risks and potentially disrupt travel in the area, although no flights have been reported affected so far.
Currently, Indonesian authorities have deployed dozens of rescue workers, police, and search teams rushing to find the missing amid hazardous conditions. The volcano’s alert level is at 3 out of 4, considered high.
Authorities stated that the area around the volcano’s crater has been closed to tourists since 17 April following increased volcanic activity, but some hikers reportedly still entered the restricted zone illegally.
Dukono is one of Indonesia’s longest continuously erupting volcanoes, having erupted regularly since 1933, frequently emitting ash and sulfur gases.
The hiking trail to the volcano is known for being difficult and dangerous. Visitors must travel by plane, boat, and car before trekking through dense forest to reach the ash and sulfur fields around the crater.
This event has deeply affected both Indonesia and Singapore, with families of the missing holding onto hope amid ongoing urgent search efforts.
:sourcechannelnewsasia
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