Indonesia’s main airport suspends flights due to Anak Krakatau eruption

Volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau disrupts flights at Soekarno-Hatta International airport, near Jakarta.

Flights have been suspended at Indonesia’s main airport outside Jakarta after volcanic ash from the erupting Mount Anak Krakatau was detected over the country’s capital.

Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International airport said on Sunday morning that it suspended flight operations until ۱:۳۰pm local time (۰۶:۳۰ GMT) due to “increased eruptive activity” of the volcano, more than ۱۵۰km (۹۳ miles) away.

Anak Krakatau, which began erupting late on Friday, produced a fountain of lava and booming sounds that could be heard up to ۷۰۰km (۴۳۵ miles) away, according to the meteorological agency BMKG.

Two new eruptions were recorded on Sunday, the volcanology agency warned.

Ash was identified as high as ۶,۰۰۰ metres (۲۰,۰۰۰ feet) on the Java side of the volcano, and a plume of up to ۱۵,۰۰۰ metres (۵۰,۰۰۰ 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 ۵:۳۰am (۲۲:۳۰ GMT Saturday), affecting ۳۳ flights, including ۱۶ 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 ۱۲:۳۵am and ۱:۰۵am (۱۷:۳۵ GMT and ۱۸:۰۵ 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.

Singapore Airlines was among the carriers affected, cancelling two flights to and from Jakarta on Saturday and delaying two more into Sunday.

Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday that there was no imminent tsunami risk from the eruption.

Anak Krakatau emerged from the sea in the ۱۹۲۰s in the caldera left by the catastrophic ۱۸۸۳ eruption of Krakatoa, one of the deadliest volcanic events in recorded history.

The volcano has erupted periodically in the decades since, including a ۲۰۱۸ eruption that triggered a partial collapse of its crater and a tsunami that killed more than ۴۰۰ people along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.

Volcanic ash poses a serious hazard to aircraft, capable of damaging jet engines and reducing visibility.