Two missing Singaporean nationals have been confirmed dead following the eruption of Mount Dukono on Indonesia's remote Halmahera island, authorities said on Sunday.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as Heng Wen Qiang Timothy, 30, and Shahin Muhrez bin Abdul Hamid, 27. An Indonesian woman also died in the eruption on Friday, according to local officials.
Their bodies were discovered near the crater rim, and an evacuation mission was underway on Sunday, stated Iwan Ramdani, head of the local rescue agency. Rescuers also recovered backpacks believed to belong to the two Singaporeans.
Evacuation Challenges
"Evacuation of the bodies is still hampered by eruptions that continue to occur and bad weather," Mr Iwan said. The body of the Indonesian woman was recovered on Saturday and sent to a regional hospital for identification.
About 20 climbers had set out on Thursday to ascend the nearly 1,355-metre volcano, defying safety restrictions, according to North Halmahera police. They became stranded when Dukono erupted at 7:41 a.m. local time, spewing a thick ash column that rose about 10 kilometres above the summit. The eruption was recorded on seismographs for more than 16 minutes, Indonesia's Geological Agency reported.
Legal Consequences
"They were aware that climbing was prohibited as the mountain is a restricted zone due to its high alert status, but insisted on going ahead," police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told reporters. Seventeen climbers were safely evacuated, including seven Singaporeans and two Indonesians who joined the rescue operation. Five of those evacuated were reported injured.
A team of 150 personnel and two thermal drones were deployed on Sunday morning for the search operation. The police chief said multiple local guides are under investigation and could face legal action for bringing hikers close to the crater despite it being closed. "The guides are currently under investigation for alleged negligence resulting in another person's death," Mr Erlichson told CNA.
Volcanic Hazards
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has long banned activities within a 4-kilometre danger zone radius of Dukono's crater, citing hazards such as volcanic explosions, ashfall, and toxic gases. Despite warnings on social media and signs at the site, "many people remain determined to climb, driven by the desire to create online content," Mr Erlichson earlier said.
Mount Dukono is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes and has been erupting almost continuously since 1933. Indonesia sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area of intense seismic and volcanic activity, and is home to more than 120 active volcanoes.
Authorities have also warned of possible secondary hazards, including volcanic mudflows, especially during heavy rain, which could travel along rivers flowing from the volcano's slopes. Volcanic activity at Dukono remains high, and authorities said it was at the second-highest alert level. The volcano has shown an increase in explosive magmatic eruptions since late March, with an average of about 95 eruptions per day.
