The bodies of two tourists missing after a volcano erupted in Indonesia have been discovered holding each other.
The bodies were recovered during a challenging operation hampered by treacherous terrain and heavy rainfall, according to Indonesia’s rescue agency head, Iwan Ramdani.
The bodies have been transported to a local hospital where they will undergo post-mortem examinations.
The volcano has continued its activity and has been persistently releasing ash since Friday, further complicating the evacuation efforts.
According to reports, debris was propelled as high as six miles into the atmosphere at its peak.
Despite warnings circulated across social media, several individuals “remain determined to climb, driven by the desire to create online content,” said North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu on Friday.
He added: “They were aware that climbing was prohibited as the mountain is a restricted zone due to its high alert status, but insisted on going ahead.”
A search operation conducted on Sunday morning deployed approximately 150 personnel using thermal drones to scan around the mountain’s crater rim.
It was confirmed on Saturday that one missing Indonesian hiker had perished, while 17 people, including seven Singaporeans and 10 Indonesians, survived.
The country’s Foreign Ministry said that the seven rescued will return to Singapore on Sunday.
It remains unclear when the bodies of those found deceased will be repatriated. Indonesia’s volcanology agency reported four additional eruptions on Sunday, with one blast propelling ash nearly a mile into the sky.
All activity has been prohibited within a 2.5-mile radius of the crater, as Mount Dukono has been placed on the third-highest alert level.