Two Singaporeans dead after Indonesia volcano eruption, bodies found

The bodies of two Singaporean hikers were found near the crater rim of Mount Dukono on Indonesia’s Halmahera island after an eruption that sent ash high into the sky and left rescuers battling bad weather, volcanic debris and extreme terrain. The two had been missing for days after the volcano erupted on Friday, May 8, in North Maluku province.

Indonesia’s Basarnas rescue agency said the search on Sunday focused on an area about 100 to 150 meters from the crater rim, roughly 1.25 kilometers from the victims’ last known location. About 150 personnel and two thermal drones were deployed, but continuing eruptions, rain and poor conditions slowed the effort. Authorities said the bodies were found around the crater rim, underscoring how close the group had come to the danger zone.

The death toll rose to three. One Indonesian hiker had already been confirmed dead on Saturday, May 9, while 17 others survived, including seven Singaporeans and 10 Indonesians. The seven surviving Singaporeans were expected to fly home to Singapore on Sunday, while officials said the return of the two bodies had not yet been determined.

Indonesia’s volcanology agency said it had recorded at least four eruptions by Sunday, including one that produced an ash plume 1.3 kilometers high. Earlier reports said the volcano sent ash as high as 10 kilometers into the sky. The agency kept Mount Dukono at the third-highest alert level and maintained a ban on activity within 4 kilometers of the crater.

The eruption has drawn scrutiny because the hiking route had been closed since April 17 after scientists observed increased volcanic activity. That closure was meant to keep visitors away from a volcano that had already shown signs of instability, yet hikers were still on the slopes when the eruption began. Authorities later said the missing hikers were located very close to the crater rim, a position that left little margin for escape once the volcano became active.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said officers from the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta were assisting Indonesian authorities with the search and rescue operation and helping arrange the return of the seven other Singaporeans. The case has highlighted both the limits of rescue in an active disaster zone and the risks of adventure travel where formal closures and exclusion zones are in force but can still be bypassed.