Mount Dukono: Three dead after volcano erupts on Indonesian island

A tragedy occurred when three people hiking on Mount Dukono died after the volcano erupted on Friday morning. 

Mount Dukono-a 1,335-meter volcano on Indonesia’s North Maluku island-erupted violently, sending a massive ash column 10km (6miles) into the sky.

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The eruption occurred while several groups of hikers were on the mountain for early morning treks. Three people have been confirmed dead, including two Singaporeans and one local resident from Ternate. 

The victims were part of a 20-person hiking party consisting of Singaporean and Indonesian nationals.

While the majority of the group was rescued and hospitalized for injuries, two porters remained on the slopes to assist search and rescue teams. 

Retrieval of the bodies has been hampered by ongoing eruptions, dangerous rock ejections, and tremors. Authorities revealed that the hikers had entered a 4 km (2.5-mile) “no-go” zone near the crater.

The volcano has been at a Level 2 Alert since December 2024, with officials issuing repeated warnings via social media and physical banners. 

Mount Dukono is extremely active, having erupted over 200 times since March of last year. Officials are looking into “possible negligence” by tourism operators or individuals who bypassed safety protocols despite the clear risks. 

One guide who survived reported hearing deep tremors and seeing high pressure for days. While he and his clients fled just before the blast, he noted that many other hikers chose to stay at the summit, ignoring the signs of an imminent eruption. 

As of Friday afternoon, the volcano continues to eject Asha and volcanic material, making the summit area a high-risk zone for rescue workers.

Dr Daryano from the Indonesian Association of Disaster Experts said that the incident “once again demonstrated that active volcanoes can never be treated as ordinary tourist destinations.”

“On social media, the public often sees videos of climbers or influencers who successfully ascend and return safely. Such content slowly creates a distorted risk perception.

“The public only sees those who successfully descend and post dramatic content, while potential threats that did not occur at the time become invisible. The real danger remains and could emerge at any time in the form of ejections of incandescent material, thick fall, volcanic gas or sudden explosive eruptions,” he added.