Three Hikers Killed in Eruption of Mount Dukono in Indonesia

Mount Dukono erupted at 07:41 local time on May 8 2026, or 22:41 GMT on May 7 2026, sending ash plumes 10 km into the sky and a thick column of ash and smoke rising from its summit. Three hikers died in the eruption. The victims were two Singaporean males aged 30 and 27 and an Indonesian woman from the city of Ternate.

Twenty hikers were on the slopes of the 1,335 m tall volcano when disaster struck. Nine were from Singapore and the rest Indonesian, North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu said. Fifteen climbers had safely descended several hours after the early-morning eruption.

All survivors from the group of 20 hikers were located by rescuers, and most of the survivors were evacuated from the mountain and are receiving treatment in hospital. Some of the hikers suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital. The bodies of the three deceased hikers remained on the mountain as of Friday afternoon May 8 2026, Pasaribu told reporters at a volcano monitoring station in Mamuya village.

Two porters remained behind on the mountain to assist in locating the bodies. Retrieval efforts were hampered by repeated eruptions, difficult terrain and strong blasts from the volcano, with the operation to reach the crater paused as night fell on Friday evening and set to resume Saturday.

The group’s guide and a porter were taken to the police station and could face criminal charges for taking hikers into a prohibited area.

The area within 4 km of the Malupang Warirang crater has been closed to tourists and climbers since December 2024. The climbing ban remained in effect on April 17 2026. 5 miles (4 km) of the Malupang Warirang crater after an increase in seismic activity.

The hikers ignored social media appeals and warning signs at the entrance of the trail. Warnings were disseminated through social media and on banners at trail entrances. "Local residents understand the warnings and do not want to climb.

Many hikers are foreign tourists who wish to create content," Pasaribu said. The eruption occurred on Halmahera island east of Sulawesi. Mount Dukono is an active volcano on the island of Halmahera and is currently on level 2 of Indonesia’s four-tiered alert system.

No towns or villages were close enough to face any immediate threat from the ash cloud. 5 miles (9 km) from the volcano. The ash cloud rose about 6 miles (10 km) into the air.

The direction of the ash distribution leaned northward, Lana Saria said. "The direction of the ash distribution leans northward, so residential areas and Tobelo city need to be vigilant for volcanic ash rain," Saria stated. The eruption was accompanied by a booming sound.

Lana Saria warned that the volcanic ash could be dangerous for public health and risked disrupting transportation services. Mount Dukono has erupted more than 200 times since March 2025. Officials had previously issued warnings against climbing the active volcano due to safety concerns.

Indonesia is on the Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country has nearly 130 active volcanoes.