A member of the Indonesian Association of Disaster Experts has highlighted the dangers of climbing Mount Dukono, saying it is a volcano with "almost continuous eruptive activity".

Dr Daryono also highlighted videos of climbers or influencers on social media that showed them successfully scaling the mountain, saying they should not be used as a "safety guide".

"The public only sees those who successfully descend and post dramatic content, while potential threats that did not occur at the time become invisible. The real danger remains and could emerge at any time."

Mount Dukono erupted on Friday morning local time, with a 10,000m (32,808ft) tall ash column forming over its summit.

The mountain is located on North Maluku island in the Halmahera Sea, near the town of Tobelo. The most populous city in the province, Ternate, is on an island just south of the volcano.

As we reported earlier, local officials have confirmed that all the surviving hikers have safely descended from the mountain.

Some of them can be seen in the photos below, provided by Basarnas, Indonesia's national search and rescue agency.

Image source, National Search and Rescue Agency

Image source, National Search and Rescue Agency

Image source, National Search and Rescue Agency

Liza Tambunan
Jakarta correspondent

Mount Dukono is an active volcano on the island of Halmahera, situated to the east of Sulawesi.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has warned the public to maintain a safe distance from the crater – specifically outside a 4km radius.

Eruptions have continued through April, as the volcano remained under a Level Two alert status.

Despite these warnings, Mount Dukono continues to attract hikers, especially those seeking extreme climbing experiences and the chance to witness an active volcano in person.

In the past few years, authorities say they have found individuals hiking on the volcano who did not inform the observation post, leading to significant safety concerns.

Fifteen people have been taken to hospital to treat their injuries, police chief Erlichson says.

We reported earlier that authorities say they are gathering more information about the hike, which had gone ahead despite an official climbing ban on the volcano.

Erlichson says those who had accompanied the hikers up the mountain will be questioned by the police.

Discussions held by authorities suggest "possible negligence by tourism operators or individuals" who proceeded with climbing Mount Dukono despite an official closure of the hiking area, according to a statement from Barsanas, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency.

"The government is continuing to gather information to establish a complete account of the incident," the statement said.

It added that Indonesia's tourism ministry has issued a letter closing the Mount Dukono hiking area out of safety concerns for visitors and local communities.

We've just heard from the local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu, and he has confirmed that all the surviving hikers have been found.

A total of 15 people have been evacuated from Mount Dukono, Erlichson said.

Meanwhile, two porters from the hiking group have remained on the mountain, as they are helping rescuers to retrieve the bodies of the three people who died, he added.

Astudestra Ajengrastri
BBC News Indonesia

Image source, Aldy

I managed to speak to Aldy, a local resident who has joined the rescue team.

He and his team is currently at a shelter about 2km (1.3mi) from the summit.

"The conditions at the last shelter are safe; we are currently holding discussions for the rescue operation," he said over a phone call that was repeatedly interrupted due to a poor signal.

As we reported earlier, a local official has confirmed the deaths of three hikers - two foreigners and one local resident.

According to Aldy, the team has identified the positions of two victims near the summit, but has not been able to reach their bodies.

The exact location of the third victim, he added, has not yet been determined.

Mount Dukono has continued to emit volcanic ash and rocks from its crater. Aldy said these conditions make the summit area extremely dangerous for climbers.

"From the shelter, we can see ash and rock material continuously being ejected," he said.

Authorities had imposed a climbing ban for approximately the past two weeks, Aldy noted. The restriction was communicated through media reports and posters along the access routes.

However, the hikers are suspected to have freely entered the climbing trail, Aldy said, as Mount Dukono does not have an official registration post.

Aldy believes the hikers intended to get a closer look at the crater. Despite the increased volcanic activity, residents in nearby villages are reported to be safe, as the settlements are located relatively far from the crater.

Riana Afifah
BBC Indonesian

North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu says the group of 20 hikers - nine foreigners and the rest locals - had entered Mount Dukono despite an existing climbing ban.

Seven foreign hikers have already descended safely, while three people are reported dead, including one from Ternate, he said.

The bodies remain at higher elevations as repeated eruptions and difficult terrain have so far prevented evacuation, with strong blasts still disrupting rescue operations.

Officials say warnings had been widely disseminated through social media and banners at trail entrances.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Mount Dukono has erupted nearly 200 times since late March, according to the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia.

It's currently listed at Level Two out of the agency's four-tier volcano alert system, which indicates increased activity and a need for caution.

Last month, the volcano erupted while a group of hikers was trekking nearby. The moment of chaos, as a hiking guide urged others to head upwards, was captured in a video that later went viral., external

The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia said in a statement that since December 2024 it has recommended tourists and climbers to refrain from activities within a 4km (2.5mi) radius of Mount Dukono's main crater, where there are threats of ejected rocks, ash and lava.

Stil, that has not deterred hikers from heading up the 1,335m-tall mountain.

Two foreigners and one local resident have died, North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu has just confirmed to reporters. The resident was from Ternate, a city in the same province as Mount Dukono.

Separately, Indonesia's national disaster management agency has said in a statement that at least five people are injured.

Among the 20 hikers that authorities say are on Mount Dukono, nine of them are Singaporean, Reuters and AFP reported, citing the head of the local rescue agency.

As we reported earlier, local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told the BBC they received information that two Singaporean hikers have died in the eruption.

In a phone interview with BBC Indonesian, he said rescuers were making their way to the hikers.

Image source, BASARNAS

Image source, BASARNAS

Indonesia's search and rescue agency Basarnas has released these pictures showing workers hiking up the mountain while carrying up a stretcher with supplies.

Police officers have also been deployed to evacuate hikers from Mount Dukono, North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu tells the BBC.

Local authorities in Ternate said they detected an emergency SOS signal from a Garmin device at Dukono on Friday.

The eruption of Mount Dukono hours ago sent a 10km (33,000ft) ash column soaring over its peak, according to authorities. The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia has posted this photo of the eruption:

Image source, Volcanological Survey of Indonesia

A local official tells the BBC they have received information that two hikers - both Singaporeans - have died after the eruption.

The deaths were reported by people who were with the hikers, says Erlichson Pasaribu, the police chief of North Halmahera where Mount Dukono is located.

Officials have yet to confirm the deaths, as rescuers are still making their way to the hikers trapped on the volcano.

A search is underway for 20 hikers after a volcano erupted in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, authorities say.

Mount Dukono, an active volcano, erupted on Friday morning 07:41 local time (22:41 GMT Thursday), sending a 10km column of ash into the sky, according to the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia.

Several hikers have been injured by the eruption, according to the local search and rescue authority.

We'll bring you more updates on this story - stick with us.