The Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced the completion of the search operation following the Mount Dukono eruption. All victims have been located, including a female Indonesian victim found on Sunday. The two foreign victims, aged 30 and 27, were also identified by the joint Search And Rescue (SAR) team.
The eruption of Mount Dukono led to delays in evacuating the victims due to the volcanic material covering their bodies. The remains of the victims were transported to Tobelo Regional Hospital for identification and further procedures. It was reported that besides the three fatalities, 15 individuals were found safe, with seven being Singaporean nationals and eight Indonesian citizens.
BNPB expressed regret over the climbing activity despite the closure of the Mount Dukono hiking route since April 17. The agency emphasized the importance of disseminating information about route closures to ensure public safety. BNPB also urged compliance with the Geological Agency’s recommendations on activity restrictions to prevent similar incidents.
Mount Dukono erupted on Friday at approximately 7:40 a.m. local time, releasing a column of volcanic ash reaching up to about 10 km into the sky.
