Three hikers, including two foreigners, were killed after a volcano on Indonesia‘s eastern Halmahera island erupted on Friday, spewing an ash cloud into the air.
The group of hikers who climbed Mount Dukono in the North Maluku province had ignored social media appeals and warning signs posted at the entrance to the trail to stay away, police chief Erlichson Pasarib said.
‘Local residents understand and don’t want to climb. Many [hikers] are foreign tourists who wish to create [social media] content,’ he added.
Rescuers have located all of the survivors of the group of 20 hikers who went up the mountain despite it being declared off-limits to visitors last month after scientists observed an increase in volcanic activity.
Most have been evacuated and taken to the hospital, though two have remained at the site to assist in locating the bodies.
Lana Saria, head of the government Geology Agency, said the early-morning eruption was accompanied by a ‘booming sound’ and a thick smoke column rising some 10 km from the summit of Mount Dukono.
Three hikers were killed and 10 were missing after a volcano on Indonesia’s eastern Halmahera island erupted on Friday
A handout photo made available by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows rescuers assisting hikers as they are evacuated following the eruption of Mouth Dukono in North Halmahera, Indonesia, 08 May 2026
Rescuers carry their equipment during a search and rescue operation following the eruption of Mouth Dukono in North Halmahera, Indonesia, 08 May 2026
‘The direction of the ash distribution leans northward, so residential areas and Tobelo City need to be vigilant for… volcanic ash rain,’ she said in a statement.
The smoke could be dangerous for public health, Lana added, and risked disrupting transportation services.
Footage shared on social media showed a huge ash cloud billowing into the sky, as locals looked on.
Authorities are discussing a ‘possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals’ who proceeded with climbing the volcano despite an official closure of the hiking area, according to a statement from Barsanas, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency.
‘The government is continuing to gather information to establish a complete account of the incident,’ the statement said.
It added that Indonesia’s tourism ministry has issued a letter closing the Mount Dukono hiking area out of safety concerns for visitors and local communities.
Meanwhile, those who accompanied the hikers up the mountain will be questioned by police, Erlichson said.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ where tectonic plates collide.
Mount Dukono is currently on the third-highest alert level of Indonesia’s four-tiered alert system.
People watch as smoke rises after the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, Indonesia, May 8, 2026
The hikers had ignored social media appeals and warning signs put up at the entrance to the trail to stay away
Footage shared on social media showed a huge ash cloud billowing into the sky
Rescuers assist hikers as they are evacuated following the eruption of Mouth Dukono in North Halmahera, Indonesia, 08 May 2026
Since December, the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has recommended that tourists and climbers not come within four kilometres of the volcano’s Malupang Warirang Crater.
Eruptions have continued through April, with the volcano remaining under a level Two alert status.
Despite warnings, Mount Dukono has continued to attract hikers.
This is a breaking story, more to follow.
