Jakarta. Mount Merapi National Park officers apprehended 20 illegal hikers in the restricted zone of Mount Merapi via the New Selo trail, located in Selo District, Boyolali Regency, on Sunday.

The illegal hike came to light after it went viral on social media, showing activity on Mount Merapi, which is currently under a renewed alert status.

Those apprehended included high school and university students and employees, originating from various regions across Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Head of Mount Merapi National Park Office, Muhammad Wahyudi, explained that his team acted swiftly upon discovering the incident.

“Our social media team immediately tracked down the accounts that uploaded the hiking content. Meanwhile, field officers monitored unofficial routes and coordinated with relevant authorities,” Wahyudi said on Monday.

Wahyudi said that around 5:00 a.m., officers discovered 12 motorcycles parked near the New Selo trail, suspected to belong to the illegal hikers. After intensive surveillance, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the hikers were seen descending and were immediately secured by a joint team.

The investigation revealed that the hike was organized by a 19-year-old student the initials AA from Sragen, Central Java. He gathered the other 19 participants via the social media platform TikTok. Participants came from various regions, including Sleman, Solo, Boyolali, Kulonprogo, Banyumas, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Klaten, Pati, Blora, Sukoharjo, Lamongan, and Magetan.

Wahyudi stressed that hiking on Mount Merapi is strictly prohibited, especially within a 3-kilometer radius of the summit, in accordance with recommendations from the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center.

“We have placed warning signs at various entry points and continuously disseminate this information both online and directly on-site. This is not just a prohibition, but a form of risk mitigation for public safety,” Wahyudi said.

He urged the public, including tourists and hikers, not to insist on climbing Mount Merapi while its activity level remains high. The safety of lives must be the top priority, and this incident serves as a serious warning to the 20 illegal hikers who defied the rules.

It is worth noting that Mount Merapi National Park has closed all hiking activities since May 2018. 

To this day, the Mount Merapi National Park has never made any declaration or announcement about reopening the trails.