A Singaporean hiker, who died following the eruption of Mount Dukono in Indonesia, was remembered by his mother as the “light” of the family, and by his wife as a loving husband.

Shahin Muhrez Abdul Hamid, 27, was among the two Singaporeans who died after the volcano in North Maluku erupted on May 8.

The eruption claimed three lives, two Singaporeans and one Indonesian national.

Remembered as a devoted son

Shahin’s mother, Noraini Ibrahim, 64, a teacher, told Berita Harian (BH) that losing her youngest son felt “like the collapse of the wall I leaned on”.

She said:

“As the youngest child, he was not just the light of our family, but also a devoted son who always prioritised me and the wellbeing of his siblings. His love and devotion are irreplaceable.”

Shahin was the youngest of four siblings.

His death was confirmed on May 10, after he had earlier been reported missing following the eruption.

The confirmation came on Mother’s Day, making the loss especially painful for Noraini, who added that Shahin had always put his family first.

Only six months of marriage

Shahin’s wife, Nurina Iffah Jusmadi, also 27, described the loss of her husband as an immense tragedy.

Nurina described Shahin as a loving husband who enjoyed travelling and mountain climbing.

The couple had married in October 2025, and had only spent six months building their life together.

They had also recently secured a flat in Sengkang, where they had planned to begin the next phase of their lives.

“Although Allah only loaned Shahin to me for six months, in that short period, I received a love beyond compare,” Nurina told BH.

“We were supposed to begin a new phase of our lives in our home in Sengkang.”

An avid hiker

Shahin, who worked as a technician at multinational energy company ExxonMobil, was an avid hiking enthusiast.

The trip was his first to North Maluku, according to BH, and he had climbed three mountains there, with Mount Dukono being the last peak on his itinerary.

He had been expected to return to Singapore on May 10 after the climb.

His wife said Mount Dukono was not his first challenge.

She said: “He was truly a lover of nature; Mount Dukono was not his first challenge.

In fact, he had only recently conquered the summit of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah a few months ago.”

Other Singaporean hiker also died

The other Singaporean hiker who died was identified in media reports as Heng Wen Qiang Timothy, 30.

Heng was reported to have rushed back towards the crater to help a friend believed to be Shahin, after the volcano erupted.

His stepsister told Mothership that the account was “exactly what [they] expected of his character”, adding: “Even though we are grieving, we are very proud to know his last moments were spent trying to help others.”

Bodies recovered, MFA assisting families

In a May 10 statement, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said Indonesian authorities had informed officers from the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta that they had recovered two bodies from Mount Dukono, believed to be those of the missing Singaporeans.

MFA said the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta was working closely with Indonesian authorities in Tobelo, North Maluku, on the formal identification of the two bodies.

The ministry added that it was in close contact with the families to facilitate the identification and would continue to provide consular assistance.

MFA also expressed its appreciation to the Indonesian authorities, particularly the search-and-rescue teams comprising more than 150 personnel, for their efforts under “very difficult and hazardous conditions”.