JAKARTA - Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan appreciates the hard work of the Indonesian government in evacuating Singaporean citizens who died or survived the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Maluku, Friday, May 8.
Representing the people of Singapore, Vivian also expressed the hope that all Indonesian rescue teams would remain in a safe condition during the evacuation process.
"I want to express my appreciation to the search and rescue team, where more than 150 professional parties took high risks in the middle of the still erupting volcano and in the midst of bad weather," said Vivian after meeting with Foreign Minister Sugiono, Tuesday, May 12.
Furthermore, Vivian assessed the rapid response and hard work of the Indonesian government reflected the close relationship between the two countries. According to him, the rescue process showed the natural instinct of the two countries to help and protect each other in times of crisis.
"So, thank you very much. Things like this cannot be paid or asked for; we can only hope and rely on the strength of the relationship between our two countries," he continued.
Previously, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Mount Dukono erupted on Friday, launching a column of volcanic ash as high as 10 kilometers (km) and accompanied by weak to strong rumbling.
After the incident, BNPB noted that 15 climbers were found to be safe, consisting of seven Singapore citizens and eight Indonesian citizens. Meanwhile, the joint SAR team has also evacuated the bodies of three victims, consisting of one Indonesian citizen and two Singapore citizens.
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