Indonesian Rescuers Recover Body of 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, one day after the volcano erupted on Indonesia's remote Halmahera island. The woman was one of three hikers killed when the eruption stranded a group of 20 climbers who had defied safety restrictions to ascend the 1,355-metre peak.

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.

“The main challenge in this search effort is that we are racing against ongoing eruptions. Mount Dukono, one of the country’s most active volcanoes with more than 200 eruptions since March 2025, 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 and urged climbers and tour operators to comply with safety recommendations that apply to dozens of other active volcanoes. Police chief Erlichson Pasaribu said the hikers had ignored social media appeals and warning signs posted at trail entrances.”

Rescue operations faced difficult terrain, strong volcanic blasts and the need to pause repeatedly when activity intensified. Preliminary information indicated the two Singaporean bodies may lie 20 to 30 metres from the crater rim. Singapore’s foreign ministry is working with its embassy in Jakarta to assist affected citizens and families.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to nearly 130 active volcanoes. The country’s position where tectonic plates collide produces frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Officials noted that social media videos of successful ascents can create a distorted perception of risk on mountains with almost continuous eruptive activity.

Local authorities and the search agency are gathering information on possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals who proceeded with the climb despite the warnings. The search for the remaining victims is scheduled to resume on Sunday when conditions permit.