(Indonesia, 10th) During the four-hour drive from Tobelo to Sofifi, the seven Singaporeans who survived the Dukono volcano eruption remained mostly silent in the car. Their emotions were conflicted: longing to escape a nightmare, yet feeling guilty for having to leave behind two companions.
Originally, the group of nine had traveled far to climb the active Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island in North Maluku province, Indonesia, but what awaited them at the summit was disaster. On Friday morning (May 8), a violent volcanic eruption trapped a total of 20 climbers, including them, at the summit.
Out of the nine Singaporean climbers, seven managed to escape. They suffered minor burns from volcanic materials during the eruption and were evacuated to the small town of Tobelo at the base of the mountain, where they underwent medical checks at a local hospital. On Saturday (9th), under official arrangements, they began their journey home.
They took a government-arranged vehicle, departing at 10:40 a.m. from Tobelo and heading almost 200 kilometers south to the port city of Sofifi. Personnel familiar with the arrangement told Lianhe Zaobao that the seven were quiet throughout the journey. Having waited an entire night without news of their two other companions, the mood in the car was especially somber.
At 2:45 p.m., the reporter saw the chartered vehicle they were in at the Sofifi speedboat terminal. Accompanying staff cleared the way and led them to a chartered speedboat. Their expressions were heavy and they looked tired. After getting off the car, they quickly walked towards the terminal without interacting. They then took a speedboat to Ternate, the city where the airport is located.
The mountain guide leading the Singaporean climbers, Riza, spoke for the first time after the incident, recounting what happened to the two Singaporeans who were not rescued on the mountain.
In an interview with The Straits Times, Riza said that rocks and volcanic ash rained down during the eruption. One Singaporean fell to the ground, and another, the leader of the climbing group, went back to help upon seeing this.
Riza and the leader tried to carry their teammate down the mountain, but midway a large boulder struck them, pinning the two Singaporeans to the ground, trapping them among the rocks. Riza recalled that he was already exhausted at the time and couldn't move the stones. Seeing the two pinned and unable to help, he made the difficult decision to leave them behind for safety.
The search and rescue team continued looking for the two missing Singaporeans and an Indonesian on Saturday. Indonesia’s disaster management agency confirmed in the evening that around 2:30 p.m. they found the body of the Indonesian victim at the volcano's crater rim. The body was originally covered by mud and sand, which was washed away by afternoon rains, revealing the body.
Authorities later detected two more mounds of sand within three meters of the found body, suspected to be related to the two missing Singaporean climbers, though it remains uncertain whether they have survived. Considering the safety of the rescuers, poor lighting, and ongoing volcanic activity, authorities decided to prioritize retrieving the first victim’s body down the mountain.
The rescue team has already marked the coordinates of the two unidentified mounds. The main focus of the search on Sunday will be these two locations.
Officials from the Singapore Embassy in Indonesia have arrived at the Dukono volcano site to fully assist Indonesian authorities in searching for the two missing Singaporeans. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep gratitude to the North Halmahera authorities and noted that the rescue efforts were being carried out under “extremely challenging conditions.”
Indonesia dispatched at least 100 rescue personnel, including military police and two thermal imaging drones, to join the efforts, but the rugged terrain, slippery slopes after rainfall, and continuous eruptions made the rescue challenging. The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation detected at least five eruptions early Saturday, with ash columns reaching up to three kilometers high.
Indonesian authorities had previously warned climbers multiple times not to approach the crater. North Halmahera Police Chief Eri S. said police are investigating why the tour company serving the 20 climbers ignored the ban and led the group up the mountain, and whether there was negligence that endangered lives.
Originally, the group of nine had traveled far to climb the active Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island in North Maluku province, Indonesia, but what awaited them at the summit was disaster. On Friday morning (May 8), a violent volcanic eruption trapped a total of 20 climbers, including them, at the summit.
Out of the nine Singaporean climbers, seven managed to escape. They suffered minor burns from volcanic materials during the eruption and were evacuated to the small town of Tobelo at the base of the mountain, where they underwent medical checks at a local hospital. On Saturday (9th), under official arrangements, they began their journey home.
At 2:45 p.m., the reporter saw the chartered vehicle they were in at the Sofifi speedboat terminal. Accompanying staff cleared the way and led them to a chartered speedboat. Their expressions were heavy and they looked tired. After getting off the car, they quickly walked towards the terminal without interacting. They then took a speedboat to Ternate, the city where the airport is located.
The mountain guide leading the Singaporean climbers, Riza, spoke for the first time after the incident, recounting what happened to the two Singaporeans who were not rescued on the mountain.
In an interview with The Straits Times, Riza said that rocks and volcanic ash rained down during the eruption. One Singaporean fell to the ground, and another, the leader of the climbing group, went back to help upon seeing this.
Riza and the leader tried to carry their teammate down the mountain, but midway a large boulder struck them, pinning the two Singaporeans to the ground, trapping them among the rocks. Riza recalled that he was already exhausted at the time and couldn't move the stones. Seeing the two pinned and unable to help, he made the difficult decision to leave them behind for safety.
The search and rescue team continued looking for the two missing Singaporeans and an Indonesian on Saturday. Indonesia’s disaster management agency confirmed in the evening that around 2:30 p.m. they found the body of the Indonesian victim at the volcano's crater rim. The body was originally covered by mud and sand, which was washed away by afternoon rains, revealing the body.
Authorities later detected two more mounds of sand within three meters of the found body, suspected to be related to the two missing Singaporean climbers, though it remains uncertain whether they have survived. Considering the safety of the rescuers, poor lighting, and ongoing volcanic activity, authorities decided to prioritize retrieving the first victim’s body down the mountain.
The rescue team has already marked the coordinates of the two unidentified mounds. The main focus of the search on Sunday will be these two locations.
Officials from the Singapore Embassy in Indonesia have arrived at the Dukono volcano site to fully assist Indonesian authorities in searching for the two missing Singaporeans. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep gratitude to the North Halmahera authorities and noted that the rescue efforts were being carried out under “extremely challenging conditions.”
Indonesia dispatched at least 100 rescue personnel, including military police and two thermal imaging drones, to join the efforts, but the rugged terrain, slippery slopes after rainfall, and continuous eruptions made the rescue challenging. The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation detected at least five eruptions early Saturday, with ash columns reaching up to three kilometers high.
Indonesian authorities had previously warned climbers multiple times not to approach the crater. North Halmahera Police Chief Eri S. said police are investigating why the tour company serving the 20 climbers ignored the ban and led the group up the mountain, and whether there was negligence that endangered lives.