Rescue teams on Indonesia’s remote Halmahera island discovered the bodies of two Singaporean hikers on Sunday, two days after they were caught in the eruption of Mount Dukono. The hikers, aged 30 and 27, were found just a few meters from where an Indonesian female hiker, the first victim, was located the previous day.
Eruption Strands Hikers
The tragic incident occurred when the group of 20 hikers defied safety restrictions to ascend Mount Dukono, a 1,355-meter (4,445-foot) active volcano located in North Maluku province. Early Friday, the volcano erupted violently, releasing a thick column of ash that rose about 10 kilometers (6 miles) into the sky.
While 17 of the hikers, including seven Singaporean nationals, were safely evacuated just hours after the eruption, three individuals became stranded near the crater. Among them were the two Singaporean men, who, along with the Indonesian woman, were trapped by the volcanic eruption and buried under layers of volcanic material.
Difficult Recovery Efforts
According to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, the bodies of the two Singaporean men were found covered in deep, densely packed volcanic material.
This thick layer of volcanic ash and debris made recovery efforts extremely challenging and slowed the search. The rescue teams, which included nearly 100 personnel, had to proceed cautiously to ensure their own safety while navigating through dangerous terrain and active volcanic activity.
“The bodies were buried under deep, densely packed volcanic material that is difficult to dig through,” Muhari explained. “Rescue teams must proceed cautiously to ensure safety.”
Ongoing Volcanic Activity
The search was further complicated by continuing volcanic eruptions from Dukono, which kept spewing ash, hot material, and glowing rocks, disrupting the recovery operations.
Iwan Ramdani, head of the local search and rescue department, highlighted the danger posed by the volcano’s ongoing activity, which forced the evacuation teams to move slowly and carefully.
The bodies of the victims were eventually transported to an emergency response post before being sent to Tobelo Regional Hospital for identification and further handling.
Authorities’ Warning
In light of the eruption and the recent fatalities, Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency has emphasized the importance of adhering to safety regulations, particularly in relation to volcanoes like Dukono.
Authorities have banned all activities within a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) danger zone around the crater, in line with recommendations from the country’s volcanology agency.
Indonesia is home to more than 120 active volcanoes and sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its location along tectonic fault lines.
