Mount Dukono: Rescuers search for 20 hikers after Indonesian volcano eruption

Rescuers are searching for 20 hikers after Mount Dukono, an active volcano in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, erupted on Friday morning at 07:41 local time (22:41 GMT Thursday). The eruption sent a 10km (33,000ft) ash column soaring over its peak, according to authorities. Several hikers have been injured by the eruption, according to the local search and rescue authority. Among the 20 hikers authorities say are on Mount Dukono, nine are Singaporean, Reuters and AFP reported, citing the head of the local rescue agency. Local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told the BBC they received information that two Singaporean hikers have died in the eruption. In a phone interview with BBC Indonesian, he said rescuers were making their way to the hikers. Local authorities in Ternate detected an emergency SOS signal from a Garmin device at Dukono on Friday. Police officers have also been deployed to evacuate hikers from Mount Dukono, North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told the BBC.