Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of three hikers killed in the eruption of a volcano in eastern Indonesia, ending a two-day operation hampered by continuing volcanic activity and treacherous terrain, authorities said Sunday.
The victims - two Singaporean nationals discovered on Sunday and one Indonesian woman found on Saturday - were part of a group of 20 hikers caught near the crater when Mount Dukono erupted on Friday, sending an ash plume up to 10 kilometres into the sky. Seventeen others were evacuated safely, some with minor injuries.
Iwan Ramdani, head of the SAR office in Ternate, North Maluku, said the bodies were found close to the crater rim and brought down the mountain after conditions improved.
More than 100 rescuers, including soldiers, police officers and local volunteers, took part in the operation. Authorities said the hikers had entered a restricted area despite warnings to stay at least 4 kilometres away from the crater.
Officials have warned that volcanic activity at the mountain has increased sharply since late March and that climbing around the volcano had been prohibited because of continuing eruption risks.
