At least three hikers were killed after Indonesia’s Mount Dukono erupted on Halmahera island, according to early media reports citing officials, with rescue teams continuing a search for additional climbers still unaccounted for. Current reporting says the dead include two Singaporeans and one Indonesian, while the number of missing has varied across early updates as rescuers work through difficult conditions.
The eruption reportedly sent a massive ash column about 10 kilometers into the sky and triggered urgent emergency operations in the area. Search and rescue teams from Indonesia’s Basarnas agency were said to be on the ground with medical supplies and stretchers, while ash fallout raised concerns for nearby communities and transport links.
What makes the incident even more alarming is that Mount Dukono was already considered dangerous. Independent volcano monitoring summaries based on Indonesia’s PVMBG updates say Dukono has been in persistent eruptive activity and that people had been warned to stay away from the crater zone. The Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program notes that Dukono has seen almost continuous explosive activity since 1933, underscoring how risky the area can be for unauthorized hikers.
There is still some uncertainty around the full toll. The most detailed current report says 10 people were missing after the eruption, while other early reports put the initial missing count higher before rescue work narrowed the figure. That kind of discrepancy is common in the first hours after a disaster, especially in remote volcanic terrain.
