Old footage of volcanic activity falsely shared as 2026 Mount Dukono eruption
- Published on May 12, 2026 at 11:46
- 2 min read
- By Ramadani SAPUTRA, AFP Indonesia
After one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes erupted on May 8, 2026, killing three hikers, an old video circulated in posts falsely claiming it showed the climbers fleeing the summit of Mount Dukono as it spewed volcanic ash. The footage was taken in August 2024 by a local guide, who told AFP it was captured by drone from the base of the volcano.
"Evacuation of hikers is taking place on Mount Dukono in North Halmera, Friday, 8 May 2026," reads part of an Indonesia-language Facebook post shared on May 9, 2026.
The accompanying clip shows a volcano erupting and spewing a large ash cloud while a group of hikers near the summit can be seen running down the mountain.
Similar claims were shared on Instagram, TikTok and X after Mount Dukono on Indonesia's Halmahera island erupted, sending an ash cloud 10 kilometres (six miles) into the sky, with no towns or villages near enough to face any immediate threat (archived link).
The volcano has remained at level two on the country’s four-tier alert system since 2008, with a four-kilometre exclusion zone around the crater in place since December 2024, according to Geology Agency chief Lana Saria.
The bodies of three hikers -- one Indonesian and two Singaporeans -- who authorities said ignored warning signs, were retrieved by Indonesian rescuers after a three-day search operation. Seventeen others, including seven Singaporeans, were brought down safely.
The clip, however, does not show the eruption in May 2026.
A reverse image search on Google found the same clip was shared by Australian broadcaster 9 News Adelaide on its Facebook page on August 24, 2024 (archived link).
The post reads: "Incredible drone footage has captured the moment a group of hikers scramble down from the peak of Mount Dukono in Indonesia, after the active volcano erupted behind them. A local guide claims the climbers ignored a ban on entering the area."
Further searches found the same clip was also shared by British newspaper The Telegraph on its YouTube channel on August 21, 2024 (archived link). Indonesian news outlet Tempo also reported on the eruption (archived link).
The Australian news outlet credited the video to an Instagram account called "anak esa". A review of the account found it shared the same clip on August 18, 2024, with a caption that read: "The moment climbers were almost hit by eruption material when summiting Dukono on August 17" (archived link).
The account owner, Reza Selang, told AFP that he recorded the footage. He has also shared other videos taken in Mount Dukono on his Instagram account (archived here and here).
"I was climbing [Mount Dukono at the time] but I was at the base of the mountain. I fly my drone from the base often," he told AFP on May 11.
Reza, a drone videographer and part-time tour guide in North Maluku, said he accompanies local tourists on hikes up Mount Dukono at least once a month. He added that he has guided foreign tourists up the volcano twice so far this year.
In a May 11 Instagram post, Reza apologised for his role in guiding tourists up Mount Dukono on the day of the May 8 eruption, adding that he was cooperating with police on the investigation into the incident (archived link).
AFP previously has debunked misinformation surrounding volcano eruption here.
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