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Guide Describes Fatal Eruption During Hike on Indonesian Volcano
A hiking guide has described how an eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island killed three members of a group of 20 hikers on May 8, 2026. The incident occurred after the group reached the crater despite restrictions on climbing the volcano. Indonesian police have questioned the guide and are investigating whether negligence contributed to the deaths.
May 14, 1:25 PM·2m read1 source
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The guide who led a group of tourists up Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island in Indonesia’s North Maluku Province has spoken about the May 8 eruption that killed three hikers. au he felt responsible for the outcome. "I was the person responsible for the trip, so I feel like I failed.
I failed to bring them home safely," he said. The group consisted of nine people from Singapore, three Indonesians, and eight guides and porters. They reached the summit of the active volcano on the morning of May 8 when the eruption began. The guide said he was operating a drone near the crater lip when the volcano erupted without warning, ejecting rocks, ash and debris.
He continued filming briefly with the drone to observe the situation before shutting it off and running toward the summit. One hiker who had started descending turned back upon realizing his partner remained on the slope. The guide said the first hiker reached the injured man first, performed CPR and revived him.
The two men then attempted to carry the semi-conscious hiker to safety, one by the shoulders and the other by the feet. The volcano continued ejecting large projectiles. A boulder struck the two men carrying the injured hiker, covering them completely.
The guide said he realized nothing more could be done and ran down the mountain, alerting the rest of the group to call police and the Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency. Rescuers later found another hiker dead on the mountain. It took several days to recover the bodies of the other two victims, who were found still holding each other.
