JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that the joint search and rescue (SAR) team found one climber who was a victim of the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera Regency, North Maluku in a dead condition.
Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, said the victim with the initials E, who is an Indonesian citizen (WNI), was found at around 14.30 WIT.
Based on the report received by BNPB, the victim was found in an area about 50 meters from the edge of the main crater of Mount Dukono. In this case, the victim's body was initially covered with volcanic sand material and only began to be seen after the search location was hit by heavy rain that swept away some of the material.
According to Abdul, the victim's body is currently at the Tobel Regional Hospital, after undergoing an evacuation process that is full of caution considering the volcanic activity of Mount Dukono is still fluctuating and the thickness of volcanic sand at the scene.
In addition, the SAR team has also identified two points of sand material accumulation which are suspected to be the location of the other two victims. The two points are within a radius of about three meters from the location of the first victim's discovery.
"The two points have been marked using GPS coordinates," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, May 9.
Due to the dark weather conditions and the still high volcanic activity, the team decided to prioritize the evacuation of the first victims and temporarily stop the search for the safety of personnel.
The joint SAR team is scheduled to continue the search and excavation at the two coordinates that have been marked, Sunday (10/5).
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