On Friday morning, the Dukono volcano in North Maluku Province, Indonesia, erupted violently, sending volcanic ash soaring tens of thousands of meters into the sky. Despite the official prohibition on climbing, 20 climbers are trapped in the mountainous area. Local search and rescue agencies have confirmed that the incident has resulted in 3 deaths and 15 injuries.
Chief of North Halmahera Police Department, Erlichson Pasaribu, confirmed to the media that the three deceased individuals include two foreigners and one resident of Ternate.
According to Erlichson, “Based on the information we have received, the two unfortunate deceased foreign climbers were both Singaporean.”
Fifteen survivors have been successfully evacuated and taken to hospitals for treatment. Additionally, two porters from the climbing group remain on the mountain to assist rescue teams in carrying the bodies.
However, the rescue operation still faces significant challenges.
Local resident Aldy, participating in the search and rescue efforts, stated to the BBC that the rescuers are currently stationed at a shelter approximately 2 kilometers away from the mountaintop. He mentioned during the call, “From the shelter here, we can see volcanic ash and rocks continuously spewing out from the volcano crater.”
He further explained that the rescue team has located the positions of two bodies; however, due to the ongoing volcanic eruption, the rescue personnel are currently unable to approach the bodies. The exact location of the third victim has yet to be determined.
Due to poor signal reception, the call was interrupted several times. Aldy believes that these climbers had planned to observe the volcano crater up close.
In response to this tragedy, the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) stated in a release that preliminary investigations suggest possible “negligence by travel agencies or individuals.”
Authorities emphasized that the climbing prohibition has been in place for about two weeks and has been widely publicized through social media and on-site banners. However, climbers are suspected of exploiting a loophole in the lack of an official registration station on the mountain to enter the restricted area without authorization.
The Dukono volcano is currently on Level II alert. Authorities have warned residents to avoid any activities within a radius of 4 kilometers from the volcano crater; in case of rainfall, the area may face a threat of volcanic mudflows.
Dukono volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, having erupted nearly 200 times since late March this year.
Just last month, a video of climbers narrowly escaping during an eruption went viral on the internet, yet today’s tragedy has occurred. Authorities are still investigating the detailed sequence of events surrounding the incident.