Updated May 8, 2026 — An early-morning eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera island killed three hikers and left others missing after they entered an area closed to the public, North Halmahera police said.
Police chief Erlichson Pasaribu, speaking at a volcano monitoring station in Mamuya village, said 20 climbers were on the slopes when the volcano erupted. Nine were from Singapore and the remainder were Indonesian. Two Singaporeans and one local climber died; their bodies remain on the mountain. Fifteen climbers had safely descended, and two were unaccounted for.
The eruption sent an ash column about 6 miles into the air. Authorities said no towns or villages were close enough to face an immediate threat, but continuing activity has made search and rescue operations hazardous. “Due to ongoing eruptions, the situation is still considered unsafe for evacuation,” Pasaribu said, and teams are waiting for a safe window to begin recovery efforts.
Some hikers sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital. The group’s guide and a porter were detained and taken to the police station; they could face criminal charges for leading people into a prohibited zone, the police chief added.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Local authorities and rescue teams remain on alert as they monitor Dukono’s activity and plan further search operations when conditions allow.