Complete Summary of the Dukono Volcano Eruption Tragedy That Claimed 3 Lives

This incident has left deep sorrow, while also revealing facts about the closure of climbing activities.

The Friday Morning Disaster and the Discovery of Bodies Behind Volcanic Sand

Nature’s fury began when Mount Dukono violently spewed its volcanic material.

• The eruption was recorded on Friday (8/5/2026) at 07.41 WIT, ejecting a plume 10,000 metres above the crater rim.

• The victims who died in this incident consisted of one Indonesian citizen (WNI) and two foreign nationals (WNA) from Singapore.

• Through a joint search operation, the SAR team successfully located the body of the Indonesian victim, initialled E, on Saturday (9/5/2026) at 14.30 WIT at a point 50 metres from the crater rim.

• The search was temporarily halted due to heavy rain, but the victim’s body gradually became visible from behind the pile of volcanic sand after the rain subsided.

“When found, only the part of the victim’s body from the legs to the waist was visible, while the rest of the body was still buried under volcanic sand,” said the Head of the Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Centre of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, on Sunday (10/5/2026).

The Tragic Fate of 2 Foreign Hikers in Extreme Terrain

After the discovery of the first victim, the rescue team’s focus shifted to two suspicious piles of sand near the initial location.

• The two Singaporean WNA victims, named Heng Wen Qiang Timothy (30) and Shahin Muhrez Bin Abdul Hamid (27), were found dead on Sunday (10/5/2026) around 13.00 WIT.

• Both were found deceased at a location about 13 metres north of the volcano’s crater rim.

• All the bodies were immediately evacuated to the main post in Mamuya Village before being transported to Tobelo Regional General Hospital for autopsy.

• This discovery concluded the joint SAR operation, which involved a total of 98 personnel.

“Both victims were at the same spot, pinned under a large rock. They were hugging each other, and their bodies were no longer intact,” revealed the Head of the Ternate Basarnas Office, Iwan Ramdani, on Sunday (10/5/2026).

Facts Revealed: Dukono Climbing Was Actually Closed

Tragically, the fatal incident that befell the hikers occurred while the Mount Dukono area was actually prohibited for tourism activities.

• The North Halmahera Regency Tourism Office had issued a decision to fully close all climbing activities since 17 April 2026, in line with the volcano’s Level II (Alert) status.

• Following the findings of the illegal climb, the North Halmahera Police Resort immediately stepped in to investigate allegations of negligence by the organisers.

• The police have secured and are examining statements from six people who brought the group of hikers to the prohibited area.

“Six people were examined, including the guides and porters,” said the Head of North Halmahera Police Resort, AKBP Erlichson Pasaribu, on Sunday (10/5/2026).

“You can judge for yourself. Climbing was prohibited, so they were negligent. The status of Mount Dukono is level 2, alert,” he explained.