3 dead, 5 injured after Mount Dukono erupts in restricted Indonesia zone
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Three people were killed and five others were injured Friday when Mount Dukono erupted on a remote Indonesian island where hikers were in a restricted area, authorities said.
North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu said about 20 climbers set out on Thursday to scale the nearly 1,355-meter (4,445-foot) volcano in Halmahera, Indonesia, despite safety restrictions.
“They were aware that climbing was prohibited as the mountain was a restricted area due to its high alert status, but they insisted on continuing,” Pasaribu said. he said.
Despite warnings on social media and signage on the site, “many people are determined to escalate out of a desire to create content online,” Pasaribu said.
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In this photo released by Badan Geologi, the geological agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mount Dukono releases volcanic materials during an eruption in North Halmahera, Indonesia, on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Badan Geologi via AP)
Pasaribu said three people, including a local resident and two Singaporeans, died in the explosion. The Indonesian victim was from Ternate, the same province as Mount Dukono.
Pasaribu said the bodies of the three victims remained in the volcano, and ongoing eruptions and difficult terrain prevented them from being evacuated by rescue teams.
The group was stranded when the volcano erupted at 7:41 a.m. local time, sending a column of ash more than six miles into the sky.
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Upon receiving an emergency signal from the mountainous region, rescue teams were dispatched to the region.
Joint search and rescue (SAR) teams prepare to evacuate victims affected by the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, Maluku Province, Indonesia, on May 08, 2026. At least three Singaporeans have been killed and 17 others are still being sought. (Başarnas/Anatolia via Getty Images)
National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said that as of Friday afternoon, 17 climbers had been safely evacuated, including seven Singaporeans and two Indonesians who participated in the rescue operation and provided information about the victims’ climbing routes before the explosion.
It was stated that 5 of those evacuated were injured.
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Joint search and rescue (SAR) teams prepare to evacuate victims affected by the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, Maluku Province, Indonesia, on May 08, 2026. At least three Singaporeans have been killed and 17 others are still being sought. (Photo: Başarnas/Anadolu, via Getty Images) (Başarnas/Anatolia via Getty Images)
Pasaribu said police would question those who joined the hikers on the mountain. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Indonesian National Police for additional information.
According to the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, Mount Dukono has been erupting continuously since 1933.
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“Friday’s eruption was one of the strongest in this period,” said Lana Saria, head of the Geological Agency of Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
