‘No cause for concern’: Aviation Ministry monitors Ethiopia ash, reroutes flights

New Delhi, Nov 25: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), along with the Air Traffic Control and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), is closely monitoring the situation of ash plumes from the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia impacting flight operations.

The Ministry said there is no cause for concern at the moment and that the situation is being monitored closely.

"Following the 23 Nov volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA -- along with ATC, IMD, airlines and international aviation agencies -- is ensuring seamless coordination. AAI has issued the necessary NOTAM and all affected flights have been kept informed. Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution," the Ministry said in a social media post.

Earlier in the day, Air India announced cancelling 13 flights, including some international services, since Monday due to the impact of the volcanic ash plumes as some of its aircraft that flew through the affected regions are undergoing checks.

Hayli Gubbi, a shield volcano located in Ethiopia's Afar region, erupted on Sunday, producing a large ash plume rising to approximately 14 km (45,000 ft) in altitude and spreading eastward across the Red Sea.

According to the IMD, high-level winds carried the cloud from Ethiopia to Yemen and Oman before transporting it across the Arabian Sea toward India. The department said it closely monitored satellite data, Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) bulletins and dispersion models to track the plume’s movement.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the volcanic ash was now drifting towards China. “The ash clouds will move away from Indian skies by 7:30 pm,” he said.

PTI