Four days after the devastating eruption of Mount Dukono, which tragically claimed the lives of two Singaporean climbers and one Indonesian, mountain guide Reza Selang confessed he remains profoundly shaken. Reza had led the ill-fated group of 20, including the three victims, to the summit of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, North Maluku, on Friday, May 8th. He narrowly escaped death but was forced to witness a colossal boulder hurled from the volcano’s crater strike two climbers directly before his eyes. “Even now, I am still deeply traumatized,” he stated during a telephone interview on Monday morning.
The 35-year-old guide recounted the journey: the group arrived at Mamuya Village on Thursday, May 7th, around 12:00 PM WIT (Eastern Indonesia Time). They then proceeded to the trek’s starting point, reaching a shelter approximately five hours later. According to Reza, there were no discernible signs of volcanic activity from Mount Dukono that night. The following morning, the group began their ascent towards the summit at 05:30 AM WIT, reaching the area near the peak around 07:20 AM WIT.
Reza conducted a reconnaissance with his drone, revealing no activity within the crater. “When I monitored with the drone, there was no activity visible in the crater. There wasn’t even any smoke. It was very calm,” he explained. Reassured by the apparent tranquility, he permitted the group to approach the summit more closely, under the strict condition that they would not linger and would descend promptly. The group that ascended included nine foreign nationals, two members of Reza’s team, and three local guests.
When Mount Dukono erupted, Reza confirmed he was still positioned below, operating his drone. “At 07:40, I was droning from a distance. Then, exactly at 07:41, the mountain erupted,” he recounted. He described two distinct eruptions occurring within less than a minute. “The first eruption still emitted smoke. Seconds later, a subsequent eruption occurred, and that was when all the volcanic material came out,” he explained. Panicked climbers immediately scattered, rushing downwards.
“As they scrambled down, I maneuvered the drone closer to see if anyone was left behind. It turned out there was one person lying incapacitated near the summit,” he described. This victim was later identified as Shahin Muhrez bin Abdul Hamid, a Singaporean national. Reza revealed that another climber, Timothy Heng, had initially descended but bravely turned back towards the peak to assist Shahin. “He had already run down, but he went back because he knew his friend was there,” Reza said. Moments later, Reza joined Timothy, running back up the treacherous slopes.
Together, they attempted to evacuate Shahin, dragging his body down the climbing path amidst a relentless shower of volcanic rocks. “I held his legs, Timo held his hands. So we dragged him down,” Reza recalled. However, as they tried to alter their route, the crater expelled another massive boulder. This rock bounced off the ground and hurtled directly towards them. “The rock was about two meters wide. I screamed ‘stone!’, but Timo turned and, in a split second, he directly hugged Shahin,” Reza recounted. He then watched in horror as the enormous rock struck both men. “It hit everything—head, body, entirely—because the rock was so big,” he concluded, detailing the horrific moment.
Reza admitted to a moment of paralyzing shock after witnessing the two men struck by the rock. “I froze. I saw firsthand how two people I had come to know during the trip were crushed by the rock,” he confessed. Faintly, he heard someone shouting his name, which jolted him back to reality, prompting him to run towards a safe point. “I immediately informed my mountaineering club group and my family group,” he stated.
Amidst the chaos, Reza reported that another participant was missing. Subsequently, the body of Angel Krishela Pradita, a climber from Ternate, was recovered by the team on Saturday, May 9th. The bodies of Timothy and Shahin were successfully evacuated on Sunday, May 10th. On the same day, a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team, comprising Basarnas, TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), and Polri (Indonesian National Police), swiftly mobilized to the site for a rescue operation. However, the ongoing and relentless eruptions severely hampered evacuation efforts. “The mountain continued to erupt; the intervals were very short, and it was still spewing material,” Reza explained.
Despite sustaining burns on his feet from the volcanic material, Reza insisted on remaining at the location to assist with the evacuation process. He openly expressed his profound regret over the tragedy. “This is the first incident of its kind I have experienced, and I feel immense guilt towards the victims and their families,” he shared. “I feel like I want to go there, prostrate myself at the feet of the victims’ parents. I want to apologize,” he added, falling silent for a moment. Reza admitted that numerous thoughts continued to haunt him after the incident. “Of course, there are many regrets. If only we hadn’t climbed yesterday, if only I hadn’t accepted this job, if only Dukono wasn’t the final destination,” he lamented.
Undergoing Police Interrogation
On Friday night, May 8th, as search operations were temporarily halted, Reza confirmed he was immediately taken to a hospital before undergoing police questioning. “From the hospital, without a break, we were transferred straight to the police station for questioning, official reports, and all sorts of procedures,” he stated. Currently, the police investigation remains ongoing. “Whatever legal consequences may arise, I have to accept them, ready or not,” he affirmed.
Reza’s status is still that of a witness, but he and his team are not yet permitted to leave Tobelo, North Halmahera. “On the first day, I was asked to stay overnight at the police station. On the second day, I was released but with the condition not to go anywhere. My schedule for questioning is still pending. They just told me to be on standby,” Reza explained. Reza’s account was corroborated by North Halmahera Police Criminal Investigation Unit Chief, First Inspector Rinaldi Anwar, who stated that two men, identified by their initials MRS and JA, are undergoing intensive questioning. These two individuals are reportedly affiliated with the “Anak Esa” social media account, which promoted trekking packages through a program titled “Ayo Baronda.”
First Inspector Rinaldi Anwar confirmed that both men currently hold witness status, but investigators are thoroughly examining the role of each individual in organizing the ill-fated expedition. North Halmahera Police Chief, Senior Superintendent Erlichson Pasaribu, emphatically stated that authorities would not tolerate any negligence leading to the loss of tourists’ lives. “We, from the Police, will thoroughly investigate the guides from a legal standpoint, as well as the responsible parties, down to the porters. All will be processed legally. We will commence the investigation,” Erlichson declared.
Unaware of Warnings
Reza stated that he was first contacted by Timothy in the middle of last year to arrange a climbing trip to several mountains in North Maluku. “He expressed interest in coming here, to Dukono. Then he asked if I could organize their trip,” Reza recounted. According to Reza, Mount Dukono was indeed the group’s primary objective. Reza then proposed other mountains as additional destinations for their journey. “He asked what other mountains should be visited while they were here. I suggested Gamkonora and Tabaru,” Reza said, “But the main target was Dukono.” Prior to the fatal ascent of Dukono, Reza had guided the group on treks up both Gamkonora and Tabaru.
The popularity of Mount Dukono had recently surged, particularly after videos showcasing the volcano went viral on social media. Reza himself admitted to having uploaded his own experiences climbing Dukono, which subsequently garnered coverage from several international media outlets. “Since my video went viral, several foreign tourists who wanted to come contacted me,” he explained. Reza affirmed his long-standing passion for mountaineering, having been actively climbing since 2010 through the Mapala organization, and officially offering guiding services since 2023.
Crucially, when preparing to guide this group, Reza asserted he was unaware of any official notice regarding the closure of Mount Dukono since April 17th. “I only found out after descending and after the incident,” he revealed. For the expedition, he utilized the services of Mamuya Village residents, including the village youth group and local tricycle drivers who commonly transport climbers to the initial ascent point. “Without intending to blame anyone, I did not receive the information about the closure on April 17th. Not even from those who are, by nature, Mamuya residents,” he clarified.
Furthermore, Reza stated that he observed no prohibition signs restricting approach to the crater during the climb itself. He offered a justification for proceeding with the trek despite Dukono being at ‘Waspada’ (Alert) status: “We have frequently climbed mountains, and in Indonesian mountains, even at Level 2, like Rinjani, climbing activities are still permitted.” This highlights a potential misunderstanding or lack of clear communication regarding specific volcanic safety protocols.
Summary
Mount Dukono erupted on May 8th, tragically claiming the lives of two Singaporean climbers, Shahin Muhrez bin Abdul Hamid and Timothy Heng, and one Indonesian, Angel Krishela Pradita. Mountain guide Reza Selang, who led the ill-fated group of 20, is deeply traumatized after witnessing a colossal boulder strike Shahin and Timothy, who had bravely returned to help his friend. Reza stated that his drone reconnaissance showed no volcanic activity shortly before the eruption occurred at 07:41 AM WIT.
Reza expressed profound guilt and apologized to the victims’ families, while also asserting he was unaware of any official closure notice for Mount Dukono since April 17th. He is currently undergoing police questioning as a witness in an ongoing investigation, with authorities committed to thoroughly probing all parties responsible for the expedition for potential negligence. Despite sustaining burns, Reza insisted on remaining at the site to assist with the challenging evacuation process.