At least three hikers, including two foreigners, were killed and 10 others remain missing after a sudden eruption of Mount Dukono on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera on Friday.

The volcano erupted at approximately 7:41 a.m. local time, spewing a massive ash column up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) into the sky, according to Indonesia’s volcanology agency.

The blast caught a group of hikers on the mountain, despite the area having been officially closed to visitors since April 17 due to increased volcanic activity.Local police confirmed the deaths of two Singaporean nationals and one Indonesian resident from Ternate island.

Rescue teams are urgently searching for the missing hikers, with earlier reports indicating up to 20 people were unaccounted for, including a group of nine Singaporeans. Seven hikers are known to have descended safely.

Iwan Ramdani, head of the local search and rescue agency, said dozens of personnel, including police, have been deployed to the remote region to locate those still trapped. At least five people are reported injured and are receiving medical treatment.

Mount Dukono is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, located in North Maluku province. The country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it highly prone to seismic and volcanic activity.Authorities have urged the public to stay away from the danger zone as ash fallout continues to affect surrounding areas.

Further updates on the rescue operation and the condition of the missing hikers are expected throughout the day. (ILKHA)