Indonesian Rescuers Recover Body of One Hiker After Mount Dukono Eruption

Rescuers on Saturday recovered the body of an Indonesian woman identified only as Enjel about 50 metres from the rim of Mount Dukono’s main crater following an eruption on the remote Halmahera island. The woman was one of three hikers killed when the volcano erupted while a group of 20 climbers was on the mountain.

Search operations for the bodies of two Singaporean men continued amid elevated volcanic activity but were later suspended because of rain, ashfall and repeated eruptions.

The eruption occurred early Friday at 07:41 local time, sending an ash column 10 kilometres into the sky. Seventeen other hikers, including seven Singaporeans, were safely evacuated, though ten suffered minor burn injuries. Two Indonesian porters from the group stayed behind to assist rescuers with information on climbing routes.

Iwan Ramdani, who heads the local search and rescue office, said the body was found at 2:30 pm along with the victim’s backpack and was transported to a local hospital for identification. More than 100 personnel supported by drones focused searches on a 700-square-metre area near the crater where clues had been located earlier.

"The rescue efforts went through a situation that required careful calculation and a well-planned evacuation strategy," Ramdani said. "We took into account the potential escalation of volcanic activity as well as the safety of all personnel."

"The main challenge in this search effort is that we are racing against ongoing eruptions," he added. Mount Dukono has remained at level two alert status since 2008. Authorities have enforced a four-kilometre exclusion zone around the crater since December 2024 and formally closed all hiking routes in April.

The national disaster management agency warned that entering restricted zones could result in legal sanctions.