At least three hikers died Friday morning after Mount Dukono erupted on Halmahera island in Indonesia's North Maluku province [1].
The disaster underscores the extreme risks associated with trekking active volcanoes in the region, where sudden eruptions can trap climbers on slopes.
The eruption sent ash and lava into the sky while hikers were scaling the peak [5]. An ash plume reached six miles high during the event [4]. Among the dead are two foreigners and one local resident [2].
Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate other climbers. Reports on the number of missing persons vary, with some sources saying 20 hikers are missing [3] and others saying 10 [6].
Medical facilities are treating those who survived the initial blast. More than a dozen people are currently in the hospital [7].
Mount Dukono is located on the island of Halmahera, a region known for significant volcanic activity. The sudden nature of the eruption left those on the mountain with little time to descend safely.
“At least three hikers died Friday morning after Mount Dukono erupted”
The discrepancy in missing person counts highlights the logistical challenges of coordinating rescues in remote volcanic terrain. Because Mount Dukono is part of the Ring of Fire, these events demonstrate the ongoing tension between the region's growing adventure tourism and the unpredictable nature of its geological hazards.
