Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in nearly 10,000 years, prompting India to issue aviation alerts as ash clouds drifted across several northern states.
File Photo: IANS
Aviation regulator DGCA has issued an advisory to all airlines and airports after volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi eruption drifted across parts of the Middle East, affecting routes that pass through the Muscat Flight Information Region.
Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in nearly 10,000 years, prompting India to issue aviation alerts as ash clouds drifted across several northern states. Major carriers, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, adjusted their operations in response to the shifting plume as the impact on airspace became clearer.
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Authorities instructed airports to maintain heightened readiness as the ash cloud, travelling rapidly at high altitudes, entered Gujarat before moving over Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.
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At Delhi airport, several international flights bound for destinations such as Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki, Kabul and Frankfurt were delayed, reflecting the wider operational disruption.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said flight operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution.
In a post on X, it 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.”
“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 ministry added.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in its advisory, Monday night said a Volcanic Ash Advisory and an ASHTAM have already been issued by the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the Airports Authority of India, and asked operators to avoid all affected regions and altitudes.
In its advisory, the DGCA told airlines to review their operational manuals on volcanic ash procedures and brief cockpit and cabin crew accordingly.
Airlines have also been instructed to adjust flight planning and routing based on the latest advisories, monitor NOTAM and meteorological updates, and immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine fluctuations or cabin odour.
The DGCA said operators must modify dispatch procedures as required and conduct post-flight inspections for aircraft that fly over ash-affected zones.
Airports have been advised to conduct immediate checks of runways, taxiways and aprons if ash is detected, and suspend operations until contamination is cleared.
The DGCA also directed operators to activate internal safety risk assessment processes and maintain round-the-clock monitoring of satellite imagery, VAAC bulletins and ash-movement forecasts.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ash clouds from the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia are likely to clear India’s skies by 7:30 pm on Tuesday, marking the expected end of the disturbances reported across parts of the country.
The plume, which moved across northwest India on Monday and briefly disrupted flights, has since begun shifting towards China.
The ash mass had initially entered Gujarat on Monday before spreading overnight across regions including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab.
The eruption originated from Hayli Gubbi, a shield volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region, which produced its first major activity in nearly 10,000 years and sent ash rising as high as 14 km.
The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) reported that the explosive phase began around 8:30 am GMT, generating “a large ash plume moving toward northern India” even after the eruption eased.
Ash columns from the Afar region, approximately 800 km northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, were carried across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman by strong upper-level winds, eventually drifting over the Arabian Sea into western and northern India.
The IMD noted that the plume travelled along high-altitude wind currents that transported it “from Ethiopia across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman and further over the Arabian Sea towards western and northern India,” with satellite tools, VAAC bulletins and dispersion modelling aiding its monitoring.
A layer of haze settled over Delhi as the plume passed, pushing air quality into the very poor band and raising concerns among residents and authorities.
IMD’s Met Watch Offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata issued ICAO-standard SIGMET warnings, advising airports to avoid specific airspace segments and flight levels flagged by VAAC.
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