Three hikers feared dead in volcanic eruption

Singapore/Jakarta: Three hikers are feared dead and as many as 20 more are trapped on an Indonesian volcano spewing ash, after they allegedly ignored signs to stay off the mountain.

Mount Dukono, in North Maluku province, erupted at 7.41am local time (10.41am AEST) on Friday. Video footage shows volcanic ash being catapulted up to 10 kilometres into the air.

Local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told news outlet Kompas TV that two Singaporeans and an Indonesian had been killed. Their bodies remained on the mountain because of continuous eruptions, he said.

Search and rescue crews were attempting to reach nine Singaporean tourists and 11 Indonesians initially reported as stranded, though it was possible some people had made it down.

Pasaribu said banners had been placed at the climbing entrance to warn people against going up, “but some were just eager to climb to do [social media] content”.

“If we happened to meet them, we would have stopped them,” he said.

Indonesia’s national disaster agency said the mountain was closed and alleged that “negligence” on the part of tourists or guides contributed to the tragedy.

Dukono has been “erupting continuously” since 1933, according to the Smithsonian Institution’s volcano program.

Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation on Friday said there had been an increase in volcanic activity since March 30. It had recommended since December 2024 that people stay at least four kilometres from the crater.

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