Horrifying Footage Shows Singaporean Hikers Filming Massive Ash Plume Seconds Before Indonesian Volcano Erupts, Killing Three Who Ignored Ban And Were Crushed Under Falling Rocks

Chilling mobile phone video captures the final moments of a group of adventure-seekers standing on the edge of one of the world’s most active volcanoes as a towering column of ash and rock suddenly erupts beneath them.

In the shaky footage, a female hiker in a backpack and hiking boots crouches on the dark volcanic rock near the crater of Mount Dukono on Indonesia’s remote Halmahera island. She films the grey plume rising from the crater just metres away, apparently unaware of the danger. Moments later, the mountain explodes.

A second clip, believed to have been filmed by another member of the group, shows dozens of tiny figures scrambling desperately down the steep, ash-covered slopes as a vast cloud of volcanic material billows behind them. An arrow in one version of the footage points to the hikers as the ash cloud expands, engulfing the ridge.

The videos, which have been recirculating online months after the tragedy, show the group that climbed to the summit on the morning of 8 May 2026 despite a climbing ban that had been in place since mid-April.

Three people died in the eruption: Singaporeans Timothy Heng, 30, and Shahin Muhrez Abdul Hamid, 27, and Indonesian hiker Angel Krishela Pradita, 28. The rest of the roughly 20-strong group – a mix of Singaporeans, Indonesians, guides and porters – were eventually evacuated, with several injured.

According to the guide who led the expedition, Reza Selang, he was operating a drone to monitor the crater when the first explosion occurred around 7.40 am local time. He said a second, more powerful blast followed within a minute, ejecting rocks and debris.

In one of the most heartbreaking details to emerge, Timothy Heng is said to have reached safety before turning back when he realised his friend Shahin was still near the crater. The two men were later found together under a large boulder and thick layers of ash, with some reports describing them in a position suggesting Timothy had tried to shield or reach his companion. Their bodies were recovered days later after rescuers dug through volcanic debris.

Angel Krishela Pradita’s body was the first found, near the summit. Audio from one of the videos includes a shout that she had been “left behind”.

Selang, who has been named a suspect by Indonesian police for alleged negligence, told the media he had no idea a climbing ban was in force. He said he relied on information from a local villager who claimed there had been no recent activity, and that he did not check with the official volcano observation post. Authorities had raised the alert level and banned climbs after increased activity, including more than 200 volcanic events in the preceding weeks. The volcano remains highly active.

The expedition had been organised through a Singapore-based travel group run by Timothy Heng himself and was marketed as suitable for beginners. Friends and family have paid tribute to Heng as an adventurous spirit who inspired others to explore. His stepsister later said his decision to go back for his friend “sounded so much like what he would do”.

Selang has expressed deep remorse, telling interviewers he feels he failed the group and that he wanted to apologise in person to the families. Police have said the climb violated the official ban and that the guide did not coordinate with monitoring authorities despite knowing the volcano was at alert level 2.

Mount Dukono, which has been erupting almost continuously since the 1930s, is popular with thrill-seeking hikers drawn by its near-constant activity. The May eruption sent ash as high as 10km into the sky. Rescue operations were hampered by continuing volcanic activity, steep terrain, rain and deep ash deposits that buried the victims.

The footage serves as a stark reminder of the risks of approaching active volcanoes, even for experienced guides. Authorities later permanently closed the hiking routes, and the case against the organisers remains under investigation.