Fears for Brit tourtists as rescue teams search for hundreds of trekkers after volcano erupts in Indonesia
Eruption sends 2,000 metre high ash column into the sky
BRIT tourists are feared to be among the missing after a volcano in Indonesia erupted without warning.
More than 1,100 people have already been evacuated after a 2,000 metre ash column burst from the Child of Rinjani volcano on Lombok island.
The volcano, also known as Mount Barujari, erupted on Tuesday afternoon delaying flights and sparking a desperate search for tourists.
It is known as the "Child of Rinjani" because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera,
A spokesman for the Disaster Mitigation Agency (DMA) said almost 400 tourists had been registered to climb the mountain since Sunday.
The climb begins just 11km from the crater.
The DMA spokesman said: “We are still searching for about 389 other tourists, mostly foreign tourists, to find out their condition and to evacuate them immediately.”
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There have been no reports of injuries.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are in contact with local authorities following the eruption of Mount Barujani in Lombok, Indonesia and are ready to offer assistance to any British nationals affected.
"We recommend all British nationals in the area follow the advice of local authorities”
Farms and trees around the 3,726m high volcano were coated in grey ash - but nearby towns are believed not to be in danger.
The Child of Rinjani is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
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