A Mount Dukono eruption in Indonesia killed at least three hikers in an off-limits area as authorities searched for missing climbers.
A sudden eruption on Indonesia’s Halmahera island turned a hiking trip into tragedy, killing at least three people and prompting an ongoing search for others.
Misryoum reports that the victims were hikers who entered a restricted area near Mount Dukono. Police said two of the dead were from Singapore, while a third was identified as a local. Officials also said several other hikers were unaccounted for after the early-morning eruption.
The ash cloud rose roughly several miles into the air, and authorities indicated that nearby towns and villages were not immediately threatened.
This kind of incident underscores a persistent risk in volcano regions: the danger is not only in what erupts, but also in whether visitors follow closures and route restrictions.
Misryoum said a group of climbers had been on the slopes when the eruption began.. Rescue teams later reported that some hikers had safely come down. while the bodies of those who died remained on the mountain.. Officials added that conditions were still considered unsafe for evacuation because eruptions were ongoing. leaving search operations dependent on a brief window of safer weather and activity.
Some members of the hiking party suffered minor injuries and were taken for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the guide and a porter were brought to a police station, where they could face criminal charges related to taking hikers into a prohibited zone.
In Indonesia, where volcanic activity is frequent, authorities often emphasize that restrictions are meant to protect visitors during heightened risk periods. The challenge for rescuers is that even when an eruption subsides briefly, conditions can change quickly.
For the families and communities affected, the uncertainty surrounding missing hikers is likely to be as difficult as the immediate loss, especially as responders wait for safer conditions to reach victims.