Indonesian rescuers find one body after volcano eruption as search continues

Rescuers on Saturday recovered the body of an Indonesian woman who was caught in a volcanic eruption at Mount Dukono on Indonesia’s remote island of Halmahera a day earlier, as search operations continued to find the bodies of two Singaporeans, officials said.

The slain hikers were among 20 who set out to ascend the 1,355-metre (4,445-feet) volcano in defiance of safety restrictions and became stranded when Dukono erupted early Friday, spewing a thick ash column that rose about 10 kilometres (6 miles) into the air.

The woman, identified by authorities only as Enjel and known as a local hiker, was located on Saturday afternoon, about 50 metres (165 feet) from the rim of the main crater, said Iwan Ramdani, who heads the local Search and Rescue Office. The location of the bodies of two Singaporean climbers remains unknown, and rescue teams are continuing operations amid high volcanic activity, he said.

“The rescue efforts went through a situation that required careful calculation and a well-planned evacuation strategy,” Ramdani said, “We took into account the potential escalation of volcanic activity as well as the safety of all personnel.”