Three Hikers Dead in Mount Dukono Eruption

At least three hikers died on May 8, 2026, following an eruption of the Mount Dukono volcano on Indonesia’s Halmahera island.

The deceased include two Singaporean nationals and one Indonesian citizen, according to a local police chief. North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told reporters at a volcano monitoring station in Mamuya village that 20 hikers were on the slopes of the volcano when the eruption occurred on Friday morning.

Of the 20 hikers present during the disaster, 15 climbers have safely descended. Two individuals remain unaccounted for.

The eruption occurred in an area that had been closed to visitors since April 17, 2026, after scientists observed an increase in volcanic activity. Authorities had previously instructed residents and tourists to maintain a distance of 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) from the Malupang Warirang crater, which serves as the center of the volcanic activity.

The government volcano agency issued a warning for residents in Tobelo town, noting that they could be affected by volcanic ash rain as ash was distributed in a northerly direction.

In addition to the ash warnings, authorities have cautioned against the direct threat of ejected rocks and the potential for lava flows.

Mount Dukono is characterized as an extremely active volcano. Since March, the volcano has erupted nearly 200 times.