Indonesian authorities have temporarily suspended the search for three hikers missing after Mount Dukono on Halmahera island in North Maluku province intensified its volcanic activity on Friday. The decision to halt operations was made due to ongoing eruptions, which pose significant risks to rescue teams.
“The search will pause today and is expected to resume tomorrow, not due to reluctance to conduct night operations, but because the volcano continues to erupt,” explained Iwan Ramdani, head of the local rescue agency. The eruption forced the evacuation of 17 individuals from the vicinity, including seven Singaporeans and ten Indonesians. Among the missing are two Singaporeans and one Indonesian hiker.
Mount Dukono erupted at 7:41 a.m. local time, propelling volcanic ash nearly 10 kilometers into the atmosphere, Indonesia’s volcanology agency. Verified footage captured hikers hastily descending the mountain, with thick smoke and ash trailing behind them. A tour guide’s warning about the volcano’s volatility and potential for major eruptions following calm periods was audible in the video.
The volcanology agency has maintained the volcano’s alert at the third-highest level. Lana Saria, the agency’s head, noted a sharp increase in volcanic activity since late March, following a decline last year. Nearly 200 minor eruptions have been recorded during this period. Additional footage from the agency displayed vast clouds of hot ash spreading across the volcano’s slopes.
Local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu indicated that survivors reported three fatalities, including two Singaporeans, but rescue officials have yet to confirm these deaths. Climbing on Mount Dukono has been prohibited since an earlier eruption in 2024.
Authorities have urged residents and visitors to avoid all activities within a four-kilometer radius of the crater and have warned of potential volcanic mudflows during rainfall. Despite the eruption’s severity, no flight disruptions had been reported by Friday evening.
Indonesia is situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to tectonic plate movements, making such volcanic activity a recurring hazard.
