Several UAE-India Flights Disrupted As Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi Volcano Erupts After 10,000 Years

There was a rare volcanic eruption in Ethiopia that has now sent a giant plume of volcanic ash drifting across the Middle East. As a result, several flights have been affected, especially across the India-UAE sector due to the affected airspace, as mentioned in a report of the Gulf News.

Ash Cloud From Ethiopian Volcano Disrupts India-UAE Flights

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation mentioned how the affected routes that pass through the Muscat Flight Information Region have prompted the need for fresh safety measures. A Volcanic Ash Advisory and an ASHTAM have been issued by the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, as revealed in the same Gulf News report. In fact, the Airport Authority of India has also issued these guidelines. So, airlines have been told to avoid impacted areas and to ensure that the flight levels are adjusted whenever needed.

Airport Authorities Issue Advisory

Not only this, but airlines have also been asked to revise their flight plans on the basis of the latest VAAC bulletin, track NOTAMS and weather alerts around the clock. With the airports already on standby, they have also been asked to carry out immediate inspection if there is ash detected on runways, aprons, or taxiways. As it happens, the report also mentions that the eruption ash has been reported across parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and passengers who are flying to or from Dubai have been asked to check their flight status. It was also due to this volcanic ash cloud that an Abu Dhabi-bound flight from Kannur was diverted mid-air to Ahmedabad on Monday, November 25. Yes, the flight 6E 1433, as a precautionary measure, diverted to Ahmedabad.

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Which Volcano Erupted?

With the ash cloud continuing to drift East, it’s worth mentioning that this is the first time in 10,000 years that the volcano erupted. We are talking about the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, which erupted and is now sending ash plumes across the sea towards Yemen and Oman. Talking about the volcano, it is in a far region of Ethiopia, and it erupted on Sunday, November 23rd. This volcano is located 800 kilometres Northeast of the capital Addis Ababa, which is near the Eritrean border. As a result, in the ash cloud from the eruption has been affecting the region’s air travel.

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