Ethiopia volcanic ash cloud scare: Civil Aviation ministry says flight operations continue smoothly, no cause of concern

Ethiopia volcanic ash cloud scare: Hours after a thick cloud of ash from the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption in Ethiopia drifted towards India, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday assured that there was no cause of concern and that flight operations across the country were continuing smoothly.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, which had been inactive for thousands of years, erupted on Sunday morning and sent a huge column of ash high into the sky.

A plume of volcanic ash from Ethiopia has swept across the Red Sea through Oman and Yemen and reached Delhi, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement.

Ethiopia volcano eruption: What Civil Aviation ministry said

"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," a statement from Civil Aviation ministry read.

"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. There is no cause for concern at this moment. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to ensure passenger safety," the statement read further.

An advisory by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation was issued to flight operators, asking pilots to report immediately if they come across any volcanic ash, whether it shows up as unusual engine behaviour or signs like smoke or odour inside the cabin.