Three hikers died after Mount Dukono erupted on the Indonesian island of Halmahera at 7:41 a.m. local time on Friday, May 8, 2026, according to North Halmahera police Chief Erlichson Pasaribu. The volcano, which has been under a climbing ban since April 17 due to heightened activity, erupted while about 20 climbers were ascending the 1,355-metre peak. The victims included two Singaporean nationals and one Indonesian, all of whom died at the site. Their bodies have not been recovered due to ongoing eruptions and unsafe conditions. A thick ash column rose 10 kilometres above the summit, prompting emergency alerts and rescue operations. Fifteen climbers have descended safely, seven of them Singaporean and eight Indonesian, with five reported injuries among those evacuated.
The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia recorded 199 eruptions at Mount Dukono since late March, averaging about 95 per day, despite a temporary lull in August 2025. Iwan Ramdani, head of the local rescue agency, said search efforts were suspended for the night and would resume the next day due to persistent volcanic activity. Authorities are investigating how the tour guides allowed the climb to proceed despite official restrictions. Pasaribu noted that warning signs were posted at the site, but some hikers ignored them, possibly motivated by the desire to create online content. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation urged nearby residents to stay alert, especially in areas to the north where ashfall was expected. Lana Saria, acting head of Indonesia's Geological Agency, advised people to wear masks to avoid respiratory issues from ash exposure. Cellphone footage from the scene showed hikers fleeing as a massive plume of smoke and ash billowed into the sky.
Two Singaporean hikers died pursuing viral content on a banned volcano, while Indonesian authorities had already issued formal warnings and imposed restrictions. The decision to climb despite clear danger signals exposes a gap between official safety measures and individual risk-taking fueled by digital visibility. Tour operators now face scrutiny for enabling access when the government had explicitly prohibited it.
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