JAKARTA, Indonesia – A powerful explosive eruption at Mount Dukono, one of Indonesia’s most continuously active volcanoes located on the remote island of Halmahera, has left three hikers dead and sparked an urgent ongoing rescue operation, Indonesian authorities confirmed Friday.
A group of approximately 20 hikers departed on their ascent of the 1,355-meter (4,445-foot) peak Thursday, openly defying strict public safety restrictions that have long closed the mountain to recreational climbing amid its ongoing high volcanic activity, according to North Halmahera Police Chief Erlichson Pasaribu. The group was caught off guard when the volcano erupted at 7:41 a.m. local time, sending a dense ash plume billowing roughly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) above the crater. Indonesia’s Geological Agency recorded seismic activity from the eruption that lasted more than 16 minutes.
In a national television interview, Pasaribu confirmed the hikers were fully aware of the ban: Mount Dukono has been maintained as a restricted zone under its second-highest government alert level for volcanic risk, but the group proceeded with their climb regardless. When the eruption hit, all 20 hikers became stranded within the dangerous restricted area. Rescue teams were rapidly deployed after an emergency distress signal was detected from the mountain slopes.
As of Friday afternoon, 14 members of the group, including seven foreign nationals, have been successfully evacuated to safety, with five of those rescued sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. Three hikers – two Singaporean citizens and one Indonesian national – were pronounced dead at the scene. Search operations are still underway for the remaining missing hikers, who authorities believe are attempting to make their way down the mountain on their own.
Recovery of the three fatalities has been delayed, as recurrent after-eruptions and unstable volcanic conditions have kept rescue teams from safely reaching the impact zone. For years, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has prohibited all human activity within a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) radius of Dukono’s crater, due to constant risks of flying volcanic bombs, heavy ashfall, and lethal toxic gas emissions. Officials confirmed all members of the hiking group were inside this prohibited zone when the major eruption occurred.
Pasaribu noted that despite multiple warnings posted on hiking trails and shared widely across social media platforms about the active dangers, many outdoor enthusiasts continue to sneak onto the mountain. The main driver of this risky behavior, he explained, is the growing desire among social media users to capture unique content to share online.
Indonesia, which lies along the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire, is home to more than 120 active volcanoes across its archipelago of thousands of islands. Mount Dukono is among its most active, having experienced near-constant low-level eruptive activity since 1933. In recent months, volcanic activity at the peak has intensified significantly. According to Lana Saria, head of the Geological Agency under Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, explosive magmatic eruptions have increased sharply since late March. Between March 30 and the day of the fatal eruption, officials recorded nearly 200 separate eruptions, averaging around 95 eruptive events per day. Friday’s deadly blast ranks among the most powerful of this recent uptick in activity, Saria confirmed.
Ash clouds from the latest eruption, which range in color from pale gray to deep black, are being carried northward by regional winds, Saria said. Authorities have issued warnings that widespread ashfall could impact nearby populated areas, including the larger town of Tobelo. Ashfall poses acute respiratory health risks to local residents, and can also disrupt ground and air transportation as well as normal daily routines. Secondary hazards, including fast-moving volcanic mudflows that can travel down river channels from the volcano’s slopes during heavy rain, are also a major ongoing risk, officials added.
With volcanic activity remaining at elevated levels, government agencies have ramped up continuous monitoring of Mount Dukono. Officials have issued a renewed plea to local residents, tourists, and hiking enthusiasts to remain calm, strictly follow all official safety guidance, and avoid all restricted areas near the volcano while monitoring continues.