Three tourists were killed and five others injured when Mount Dukono, a 1,355-meter volcano on Halmahera Island in Indonesia, erupted while a group of approximately 20 hikers were climbing its slopes. The volcano ejected a dense column of ash approximately 10 kilometers into the sky, with seismographs recording the tremor for 16 minutes, according to Indonesia’s Geological Service.
Authorities confirmed the hikers had knowingly defied a climbing ban, as the mountain was designated a restricted zone. Video footage captured the harrowing reaction of a mountain guide witnessing the eruption in real time. Search and rescue operations were continuing in the area.
