Bodies recovered near crater after days of hazardous search on Indonesia’s volatile volcano.
Two Singaporean hikers who went missing during the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Dukono have been found dead near the summit, ending a dangerous multi‑day search on the remote Halmahera volcano.
Discovery Of The Two Singaporeans
Head of the Ternate search‑and‑rescue office Iwan Ramdani said the two Singaporeans were found about 50m from the summit, their bodies side by side and partly buried under volcanic debris. Local rescuer Risman Umar described two large boulders pinning and crushing them, with half their bodies submerged in ash, making recovery difficult until conditions allowed the team to retrieve and carry them down the mountain.
Rescue Conditions And Ongoing Eruptions
Teams of soldiers, police and volunteers worked on steep, unstable slopes of black ash in heavy rain and mist as Mount Dukono continued intermittent eruptions. Muddy tracks from Mamuya village to the upper posts were frequently impassable, forcing vehicles and motorcycles to turn back, while rescuers at Post 5—around 1km from the crater—had to retreat at times due to flooding and new ash falls, with commanders stressing that team safety remained the priority.
Climb Despite Ban And Exclusion Zone
The two Singaporeans were part of a 20‑member group—nine Singaporeans and 11 Indonesians—that began their trek on May 7 despite a climbing ban imposed on April 17 and a 4km exclusion zone around the crater. Mount Dukono erupted on the morning of May 8, showering climbers near the summit with hot rocks and ash; all except the two Singaporeans and one Indonesian woman were evacuated. The Indonesian woman was found dead on May 9, about 50m from the crater rim.
Identification And Singapore’s Response
The names of the Singaporeans have not been officially released, but the families of Mr Timothy Heng, 30, and Mr Shahin Muhrez Abdul Hamid, 27, told media they had been informed. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is in close contact with the families to facilitate identification and repatriation, and expressed deep appreciation to Indonesian authorities, especially the more than 150‑strong joint rescue team, for operating under hazardous and challenging conditions.
Scale And Difficulty Of The SAR Operation
Indonesia’s search‑and‑rescue agency Basarnas deployed four units to comb an area extending about 1.25km from where the hikers were last seen, navigating dense forest, flooded tracks and unstable volcanic sand. Footage showed rescuers in orange helmets moving in single file through ferns and moss‑covered trees, carefully descending with victims on stretchers along narrow, muddy trails. After recovering all three bodies, regional military commander Major‑General Dody Triwinarto said: “Our mission is complete. We have transported all the deceased victims.”
The Mount Dukono tragedy underscores the lethal risk of ignoring climb bans and exclusion zones on highly active volcanoes, as well as the courage and limits of even the best-equipped rescue teams. For Indonesians who live near such peaks, and Singaporeans drawn to adventurous travel in the region, it is a sobering reminder that safety warnings are based on hard lessons and should be heeded to prevent future loss of life.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , CNA (2026)
Keywords: Dukono Eruption, Missing Singaporeans, Halmahera Volcano, Basarnas Operation, Trekking Ban
