Indonesia's Mount Dukono volcano erupted violently, sending ash clouds over 10 km high. Three climbers died after tourists ignored the danger zone warnings, officials said.
On 8 May 2026, foreign news agencies reported that Mount Dukono on Indonesia's northern Maluku island erupted violently on Friday morning, resulting in three climbers' deaths after they ignored warnings and entered the danger zone near the crater. Video footage and photos from the site showed ash and volcanic smoke rising about 10 kilometers into the sky, while explosions continuously expelled rocks and volcanic material from the crater.
Officials stated the deceased included two Singaporean men aged 27 and 30, and an Indonesian woman from the city of Ternate. All were part of a group of 20 climbers comprising Singaporean and Indonesian nationals.
Reports indicated that the climbers ascended the volcano despite official warnings prohibiting entry into the hazardous eruption area. After the incident, authorities evacuated most climbers from the mountain and sent them to hospitals for treatment. However, the three deceased remain stranded on the mountain.
Additionally, search and recovery operations have been challenging due to repeated eruptions, dangerous terrain, and explosive activity from the volcano. Erlikson Pasaribu, Chief of North Halmahera Police, said recovery efforts were paused on Friday evening and will resume on Saturday.
A guide who was leading the tour on the mountain recounted that before the eruption, he felt tremors from within the volcano and immediately evacuated the tourists, narrowly escaping harm. He also saw several climbers near the summit, with some groups approaching the crater rim to record drone footage.
The Indonesian Volcanology Survey Office has set the alert level for Mount Dukono at Level 2 out of 4 and has advised since December 2024 that people avoid activities within a 4-kilometer radius of the main crater due to risks from volcanic rocks, ash, lava, and sudden eruptions.