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Mount Dukono erupted at 7:41 AM, sending an ash column almost 10 km high. Twenty climbers were in the crater; three died and seventeen were rescued in an operation involving 100 rescuers and two thermal drones.
The Mount Dukono eruption occurred on May 8, 2026, on Halmahera island, in eastern Indonesia. The event was reported by CNN.
According to the Indonesian agency PVMBG (Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation), the ash column reached about 10 kilometers in height. In parallel, the volcano ejected pyroclastic material at wide angles.
According to local police, the group of 20 climbers was in a restricted zone when the volcano became active. Three died; two Singaporeans aged 30 and 27, and an Indonesian native of Ternate.
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4 km restricted zone existed since December 2024
According to Fox News, the PVMBG has maintained a 4 km exclusion zone around Dukono since December 2024.
In fact, warning signs were posted on trails and social media. Consequently, the group ascended the volcano on their own.
In parallel, the reason recorded by the police was online content production. According to authorities, “many people insist on climbing to create content for social media.”
According to the PVMBG, Dukono recorded a significant increase in explosive magmatic eruptions since March 2026. In other words, the alert level had been elevated for weeks.
Rescue operation with 100 rescuers and two thermal drones
According to Al Jazeera, the rescue team involved 100 people, including military, police, and civilian teams.
In parallel, two thermal drones were used to locate victims amidst the ash layer. Consequently, some of the victims were found with residual thermal signals on the ground.
According to the SAR team, the search was suspended overnight and resumed on Saturday morning. On the other hand, progress was hampered by volcanic sediments covering the terrain.
According to Tempo, the operation located the victims’ bodies in just over 48 hours.
Singapore’s diplomatic response
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government of the Asian country coordinated consular support for the victims’ relatives. In parallel, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the repatriation of the bodies.
In fact, this was the second fatal incident involving Singaporean climbers on Indonesian volcanoes in the last decade. On the other hand, authorities from both countries are discussing a joint warning protocol.
In parallel, local agencies emphasize that entry into the exclusion zone is punishable by law. In turn, fines can reach R$ 200,000 in direct conversion to the Brazilian currency.
Mount Dukono and Halmahera in the Ring of Fire
Halmahera island is located in eastern Indonesia, in North Maluku. According to geological records, it is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
In fact, Indonesia has 127 active volcanoes. Consequently, it is the country with the largest number of active volcanoes in the world.
In parallel, Dukono is considered one of the most persistent in the country. According to records, it has been almost continuously active since 1933.
In turn, Dukono’s peak is about 1,087 meters above sea level. The current eruption follows the volcano’s historical pattern.
Mount Dukono in numbers
- 7:41 AM on May 8: start of the eruption
- ~10 km ash column height
- 3 dead from a group of 20 climbers
- 17 rescued with 5 injured
- 4 km radius of the restricted zone by PVMBG since December 2024
- 100 rescuers + 2 thermal drones in the operation
In comparison, the Semeru eruption in January 2025 killed 56 people. On the other hand, these events share the geological pattern of the Ring of Fire.
Other comparable geological situations appear in parallel. The Kolumbo submarine volcano, north of Santorini, recorded 28,000 tremors in one month.
In parallel, volcanology experts compare the case to the New Zealand Whakaari incident in 2019, when 22 tourists died. According to subsequent studies, in that case there was also a violation of the restricted zone.
In fact, adventure tourism on active volcanoes has been a topic of international debate for over a decade. Consequently, countries like Iceland and Italy adopt strict preventive closure protocols.
On the other hand, part of Halmahera’s local economy depends on tourism. In parallel, about 3,500 people work directly with tourist guides in the region.
What about Brazil? Volcanic risk in the Atlantic Belt
Brazil has no active volcanoes on the continent. According to the Brazilian Geological Survey, the last significant volcanism occurred about 60 million years ago.
According to volcanologists, Trindade Island, in the Atlantic, has recent volcanism on a geological scale. On the other hand, the island is uninhabited and under Navy control.
In parallel, it is worth following how magma accumulates under the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland. These studies define globally used monitoring patterns.
According to analysts, Brazil should focus on continental seismology and plate movement.
In fact, in parallel, the Santa Catarina Submarine Volcano is monitored by Petrobras as a reference. Indeed, oil platforms on the Brazilian coast also have seismic sensors integrated into the ANP system.
According to recent studies, Brazilian maritime monitoring has adopted techniques used by Indonesia and Japan in the last ten years.
Caveat: Mount Dukono shows no signs of pausing
According to the PVMBG, Dukono remains on high alert in the following days. In parallel, new ash emissions are expected.
On the other hand, local authorities reinforced the enforcement of access to the mountain. According to the North Maluku Military Police, three people were indicted for violating the restriction.
Would Brazil have the capacity to monitor 127 active volcanoes as Indonesia does? The Dukono case shows the institutional complexity of this task.
Still, mourning for the victims continues in Singapore and Ternate. Consequently, the debate about adventure tourism has gained a new chapter in Southeast Asia.
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