‘Like a wall collapsing’: Mum, wife mourn for S’porean hiker who died in Mount Dukono eruption

SINGAPORE - When Ms Noraini Ibrahim found out on May 10, which was also Mother’s Day, that her son Shahin Muhrez Abdul Hamid had died atop Mount Dukono, she said it was like a wall had collapsed.

Speaking to Malay-language daily Berita Harian on May 10, Ms Noraini said: “Losing Shahin was like the wall I was leaning on was collapsing.”

Mr Shahin, 27, was the youngest of four siblings and the family’s cheerleader, said the 64-year-old teacher.

He was also a pious child who prioritised his family, she said in a WhatsApp message to the news outlet.

“All his devotion and love are irreplaceable,” she added.

Mr Shahin was one of three hikers – two Singaporeans and one Indonesian – who were reported missing after the active volcano on the remote Halmahera island in North Maluku province in eastern Indonesia erupted on May 8.

The eruption sent hot rocks and ash raining down on the climbers.

The bodies of Mr Shahin and Singaporean Timothy Heng, 30, were recovered two days later next to each other, near the summit.

The body of the Indonesian victim – a woman – was found earlier, on May 9.

Mr Shahin, who was a technician with energy company ExxonMobil, was expected to return to Singapore on May 10 after hiking on the volcano. He had just got married in October 2025.

His wife, Ms Nurina Iffah Jusmani, 27, described his death as a heavy loss.

“God only lent him to me for six months, but in that short period of time, I gained an incomparable love,” she told Berita Harian in a WhatsApp message on May 10.

“We were supposed to start a new phase in our home in Sengkang, but I accept that God is the best planner.”

She said her husband was a nature lover who had summited Mount Kinabalu in Sabah a few months ago.

He had also climbed three mountains in North Maluku, where Mount Dukono is located.

Following confirmation of his death on May 10, two family members travelled to Tobelo, North Maluku, to manage his remains, according to Berita Harian.

Mr Shahin and Mr Heng were part of a group of 20 – nine Singaporeans and 11 Indonesians – who climbed the volcano on May 7.

The seven Singaporean hikers who were evacuated are believed to have returned to Singapore on May 10.

When The Straits Times arrived at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 arrival hall on May 10, airport staff were seen taking six large backpacks off the baggage carousel for Flight SQ963, which had arrived from Jakarta at about 9pm. The bags resembled those the hikers were seen carrying in photos.

From about 9.15pm to 9.30pm, four people emerged from the arrival hall carrying hiking bags and wearing masks.

It is unclear if all seven hikers were on the same flight. The four declined to comment when approached by ST.

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, in a Facebook post on May 11, offered his deepest condolences to the families of Mr Shahin and Mr Heng.

“Our thoughts are also with those who survived, and I wish them a full and speedy recovery,” he wrote.

He added that Singapore is grateful to the Indonesian government and the search and rescue teams coordinating the difficult operation.

More than 150 search and rescue personnel had worked tirelessly in very difficult conditions on Mount Dukono, including in the final stage of forensic identification, Dr Balakrishnan said.

“Despite steep and unstable terrain, heavy rain, thick volcanic ash and the risks posed by continued eruptions, they have pressed on with dedication and professionalism,” he added.

“Their efforts have brought some closure to the families and loved ones who have endured days of anguish and uncertainty.”

When contacted, a spokesperson for Mr Shahin’s employer, ExxonMobil in Singapore, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all who are affected by the Mount Dukono incident.”

The spokesperson said that the company would not be commenting further while facts are being established, out of respect for privacy and owing to the sensitivity of the situation.

On April 17, Indonesia’s volcanology agency had issued an advisory temporarily banning climbs on Mount Dukono because of increased volcanic activity.

The group’s Indonesian mountain guide, Mr Reza Selang, said that neither the local guide nor anyone in the village at the foot of Mount Dukono had told him that the mountain was off-limits.