Volcanic ash cloud from Sangeang Api grounds Australia flights
International and domestic flights cancelled as ash cloud from eruption in southern Indonesia drifts over central Australia
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An ashcloud has grounded flights between Australia and south-east Asia, and all domestic flights from Darwin airport in the north of the country.
The cloud, which was caused by the eruption of Sangeang Api in southern Indonesia on Friday evening, has drifted across central Australia, according to Reuters.
International flights to and from Australia to Singapore, East Timor and the Indonesian holiday island of Bali were among those cancelled, including those departing from Australia's eastern seaboard.
"The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment, so for the last 10 hours we've been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated," Emile Jansons, the manager of the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, told the agency.
"At the moment it has slowed down a little bit since its initial big eruption, but nobody has a very good handle on what this volcano is likely to do in the next 24 hours or beyond," he said.
Sangeang Api's last eruption of similar magnitude occurred in 1999, he added.
Based on weather conditions, it is unlikely that the ash cloud will dissipate before it reaches Australia's eastern airports and major populations centres, Jansons said.
He also said Darwin would be impacted until at least Sunday, and Virginia Sanders, a spokeswoman for Darwin International airport confirmed that all inbound and outbound flights had been cancelled.
Darwin's proximity to south-east Asia makes it an important Australian gateway to countries such as Indonesia and East Timor, and an important hub for oil and natural gas off Australia's north.
Volcanic ash can be extremely dangerous to aircraft and can cause engine failure or damage. In 2010, an ash cloud caused by the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland caused the most widepsread grounding of flights since the second world war, including many Europe-bound flights from Australia.
On Saturday, Qantas Airways said it had cancelled all flights to and from Darwin and its budget airline Jetstar had grounded nine international and domestic flights.
Virgin Australia Holdings cancelled all flights into and out of Darwin and all flights into and out of Bali on Saturday evening, spokesman Jacqui Abbott confirmed.
"Our team of meteorologists are continuing to monitor the situation in consultation with the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre," the airline said in a statement.
The regional carrier Airnorth, which flies many oil and gas workers to work in the region, also cancelled five flights on Saturday and a Tiger Airways Ltd domestic flight was also grounded.
The cloud, which was caused by the eruption of Sangeang Api in southern Indonesia on Friday evening, has drifted across central Australia, according to Reuters.
International flights to and from Australia to Singapore, East Timor and the Indonesian holiday island of Bali were among those cancelled, including those departing from Australia's eastern seaboard.
"The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment, so for the last 10 hours we've been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated," Emile Jansons, the manager of the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, told the agency.
"At the moment it has slowed down a little bit since its initial big eruption, but nobody has a very good handle on what this volcano is likely to do in the next 24 hours or beyond," he said.
Sangeang Api's last eruption of similar magnitude occurred in 1999, he added.
Based on weather conditions, it is unlikely that the ash cloud will dissipate before it reaches Australia's eastern airports and major populations centres, Jansons said.
He also said Darwin would be impacted until at least Sunday, and Virginia Sanders, a spokeswoman for Darwin International airport confirmed that all inbound and outbound flights had been cancelled.
Darwin's proximity to south-east Asia makes it an important Australian gateway to countries such as Indonesia and East Timor, and an important hub for oil and natural gas off Australia's north.
Volcanic ash can be extremely dangerous to aircraft and can cause engine failure or damage. In 2010, an ash cloud caused by the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland caused the most widepsread grounding of flights since the second world war, including many Europe-bound flights from Australia.
On Saturday, Qantas Airways said it had cancelled all flights to and from Darwin and its budget airline Jetstar had grounded nine international and domestic flights.
Virgin Australia Holdings cancelled all flights into and out of Darwin and all flights into and out of Bali on Saturday evening, spokesman Jacqui Abbott confirmed.
"Our team of meteorologists are continuing to monitor the situation in consultation with the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre," the airline said in a statement.
The regional carrier Airnorth, which flies many oil and gas workers to work in the region, also cancelled five flights on Saturday and a Tiger Airways Ltd domestic flight was also grounded.
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More on this story
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Indonesian volcano erupts causing travel chaos for Australia - video
Mount Sangiang, a volcano in Indonesia, has erupted, sending a huge cloud of ash into the sky
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Indonesian volcanic ash cloud may halt Australia flights for days
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/31/volcanic-ash-cloud-sangeang-api-indonesia-grounds-australia-flights
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