Indonesia's Dukono volcano erupted violently, spouting ash more than 10 km high. Three climbers died after tourists violated the danger zone, officials said.
On 8 May 2026 GMT+7, foreign news agencies reported that the Dukono volcano on North Maluku island in Indonesia erupted violently on Friday morning. The eruption caused three climbers to die after they ignored warnings and entered the hazardous area near the crater. Videos and photos from the scene showed ash and volcanic smoke soaring about 10 kilometers into the sky, while explosions continuously ejected rocks and volcanic material from the crater.
Officials stated that the deceased included two Singaporean men aged 27 and 30, and one Indonesian woman from Ternate. All were part of a 20-person climbing group comprising both Singaporean and Indonesian nationals.
Reports said this climbing group ascended the volcano despite official warnings prohibiting entry into the risky eruption zone. After the incident, authorities evacuated most climbers from the mountain and sent them to hospitals for treatment. However, the bodies of the three deceased remain on the mountain.
Additionally, the search and recovery mission has been difficult due to repeated eruptions, dangerous terrain, and explosive activity at the crater. Erlikson Pasaribu, commander of the North Halmahera police district, said the recovery operation was temporarily halted Friday evening and will resume Saturday.
A guide on the mountain reported that before the eruption, he felt tremors inside the volcano and promptly led tourists down the mountain to safety, narrowly escaping harm. He also saw several climbers near the summit, with some groups approaching the crater's edge to film drone footage.
The Indonesian Volcanology Survey Office has set the alert level for Dukono volcano at level 2 out of 4. Since December 2024, it has advised the public to avoid activities within a 4-kilometer radius of the main crater due to risks from volcanic rocks, ash, lava, and sudden eruptions.