Overview
- Mount Dukono on Halmahera island erupted Friday, blasting ash about 10 kilometers into the sky and stranding a group of hikers inside a restricted zone.
- Following Saturday’s renewed operation, teams using thermal drones and more than 100 personnel recovered the body of one Indonesian hiker as searches continued for two missing Singaporeans.
- Authorities had evacuated 17 people by Friday evening, and Indonesia’s disaster agency reported at least five injured as ongoing activity forced repeated pauses in rescue work.
- Officials say climbing within 4 kilometers of the crater has been banned since December 2024 and local routes were closed from April 17, yet some groups still entered despite posted warnings.
- Geologists kept the alert at the third-highest level as ash drifted north toward Tobelo with health and transport risks, and monitoring shows Dukono has erupted nearly 200 times since late March.