Indonesia rushes to rescue climbers as volcano eruption leaves 3 dead

Indonesia on Friday launched an operation to rescue climbers after a volcano eruption left three people dead – two of them foreigners, local media reported.

The volcano erupted on Mt. ‌Dukono on Halmahera island in North Maluku province, according to Detik news website.

"Three people died," two of whom are foreigners, Erlichson Pasaribu, a police official, told the website.

Erlichson added there are “around 20 trapped climbers (who) are trapped.”

Authorities have deployed teams to rescue the trapped climbers.

The volcano erupted at around 07:41 am (1041GMT ⁠Thursday), spewing a smoke cloud some 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into the air.

Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said: "There are reports of two tourists suspected to have died in an incident in the Mount Dukono area."