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Indonesia's Main Airport Suspends Flights Due to Volcano Eruption
Confirmed
In Short: Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has suspended flight operations due to volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau, affecting over 22,000 passengers.
Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early Sunday, prompting the suspension of all flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as volcanic ash drifted across parts of western Indonesia.
The airport initially suspended flight operations from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., but this was extended due to increased eruptive activity, impacting 209 flights and over 22,000 passengers.
Ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding the airport, with two new eruptions recorded on Sunday. The suspension was extended by four hours, and ships passing through the strait were advised to increase vigilance.
Passengers sought refunds and reclaimed checked baggage as departure boards displayed a growing list of canceled flights. The airport warned residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometers from the volcano’s active crater.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Indonesia’s Geological Agency said the volcanic island located in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait between the main Java and Sumatra islands showed signs of activity Saturday and erupted for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m.
- Volcanic ash spread across parts of the capital Jakarta and Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra island, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said.
- Indonesia's volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia identified two ash clouds using satellite imagery.
- Ash was identified as high as 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) on the Java side of the volcano, and a plume of up to 15,000 metres (50,000 ft) on the Sumatra side and some parts of Banten province in Java, BMKG posted on its website.
- An earlier airport suspension had been due to end at 5:30am (22:30 GMT Saturday), affecting 33 flights, including 16 international cancellations and seven delays, Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation said.
- Director General of Civil Aviation Lukman F Laisa said the extended suspension followed a “paper test” conducted between 12:35am and 1:05am (17:35 GMT and 18:05 GMT Saturday) that confirmed the presence of volcanic ash at the airport.
- “Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision, including flight schedule adjustments made by airlines,” Lukman said, adding that authorities would continue monitoring the situation with airlines, air navigation services and Indonesia’s meteorological agency.
- Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday that there was no imminent tsunami risk from the eruption.